His and hers circumstances
by Error205
Summary: Jeahee is dating Zen? The news leave her with a broken heart, but she doesn't have the courage to confess to her. Trying to confront her confusing emotions, Jumin enters her every day life like a storm while dealing with his own issues. A little bit more than friends, but with their emotions not sorted out, what will happen when they will end up under the same roof? JuminxMC4
1. A sip of love, bitter than coffee

_**Author's note**_

_**Hello and thanks for reading. I hope that you will enjoy the first chapter. Just a simple note; as I was writing down this story, I realized that it just felt a bit awkward to refer to the main character as MC, so I decided it to name her since Creritz lets you name her anyway. I choose the name Min-Seo because it does sound a bit like MC (and also because I'm bad at naming characters). I do hope it will not weird you out. Your thoughts and reviews are always very much appreciated.  
**_

* * *

"_I thought… me and you together, surrounded by the smell of coffee, in our cozy cafe and your smile… was everything I ever needed. Because I felt at ease by your side, more than I ever was. But I was so dither, I could not ask you to be mine and ultimately, you never were."_

The luxurious, black car stopped in front of the familiar coffee shop. His eyes glanced at the sign and he blinked as its sight snapped him out of his thoughts. _"Rêver"_. What a pretentious choice for a name and in French in addition to that; was what he had told them when they first revealed it. The storefront was neatly decorated for Christmas, he had expected nothing less from Jaehee. Driver Kim announced that they had reached their destination in a cold, monotonous voice per usual to keep the formality. He checked the time on his watch slipping his sleeve down with a smooth, professional move and took a big breath. Almost punctual, he wished they had stuck in traffic a bit more. It would give him the perfect excuse to be a bit late to the occasion.

His hand grabbed the deluxe package of the expensive wine. He had meticulously picked it himself, so he could guarantee its taste. He also didn't have any doubts that a bottle of wine was a great present to gift; not very personal but you could attune your pick to the receiver's taste. Plus, you could easily enjoy it alone or with company, how perfect was that? It was evidently a choice that suited his character, unlike the one he had in his pocket. For something that was meant for a present exchange, it was too personal and that fact troubled him so much he had ended up not going to the Christmas party. Since he had already avoided them once using a lame excuse, he'd feel guilty to avoid Jaehee's birthday as well and it would also be unfair to her. Maybe him being there would help him sort out his thoughts or at least help him understand why he wouldn't stop carrying that present around on him; he tried to think positively.

Straightening up his suit, he opened the door drawing the attention of the groups sitting on the tables nearby. A huge Christmas tree was hulking at the back. Couples and groups of friends were dominating the place chatting merrily while soft jazz music was playing in the background. Christmas day had already passed, but with New Years Day just around the corner the cheesy atmosphere had not fainted. He could not avoid it even during business hours, since his assistant could not miss a chance to talk about how he had spent Christmas day with his family until he got fed up with it and made it clear to him that he was not interested to know the details.

His gray eyes scanned the room and stopped at a familiar back. Her hair, just like Jaehee's had grown with years, now covering her back. She was standing by the table, chatting cheerfully with the odd trio. The redhead was the first one to notice him and waved enthusiastically gesturing at him to join them. That drew her attention to him and she smiled softly as usual when she was welcoming him to their shop. Her uniform, simple as it was, suited her perfectly. Black pants and a white shirt which was complimenting her darker complexion. They had switched to a green apron for Christmas, unlike the black one they were usually wearing.

"Good evening," he greeted taking off his jacket.

"Oh, the CEO finally granted us with his presence!" Saeyoung teased and stood up, bowing comically to him. "What an honor!"

"Come on, you know he wouldn't miss Jaehee's birthday," she said.

"Well, he shouldn't miss our Christmas party either," Zen frowned. "Everyone was waiting for him. Canceling at the last moment and not even saying sorry…"

"Maybe the three ghosts paid him a sudden visit," Saeyoung commented. "So he couldn't come."

"Of course I would not deny an invitation from assistant Kang," he explained ignoring Saeyoung's reference. "Since she is a person I respect, despite the events that led to the establishment of this place."

"It's been over two years, why are you still hang up on that?" she sighed.

"I feel this place was built upon my baby's body and oil," Saeyoung sniffed.

"Don't put it like that, it sounds weird," Yoosung grimaced.

"I am not," he looked down at her.

"Yet, you still bring it up whenever you have the chance," Zen noted. "Get over it already."

"Not to mention that Jaehee does not like it when you call her assistant Kang," she added.

"You shall be remembered," Saeyoung swept his eyes with the table cloth. "My poor baby."

"Stop it," Yoosung slapped his hand.

"It's out of habit, I don't mean to offend her."

"I know that, I just wish you could fix hat habit," she pouted.

"Well, you are one of the reasons she is not my assistant anymore," he said taking a seat. "...So I don't want to hear that from you."

She blinked for a moment and cupped her chin chuckling.

"Well, you do have a point."

"Dude, you are the sole reason she left!" Zen frowned. "Min-Seo, you know you should get a bit mad at him when he talks to you like that," he advised.

"It's fine," she laughed.

Her fingers run through her dark brown hair before she places them behind her ear. She was in a better mood that usual but that did not surprise him. Whatever had to do with Jaehee was always bringing a smile to her face. Just a simple mention of his ex-assistant's name and her whole face would light up. He knew, he watched it happening so many times already. He looked away, feeling bothered by the thought and placed the box he was carrying on the table.

"I brought a present," he said in an awkward attempt to chance the subject.

"Oh, wine again, what a surprise," Zen could not hold back his sarcasm.

"Expensive wine," he corrected confidently.

"Thank you, Jumin," she interfered before Zen's retort. "You picked a good one. I'm sure Jaehee will like it."

"Jumin brought a present but he missed our present exchange during the Christmas party," Saeyoung shook his head dismissively. "Maybe he got a bit stingy?"

"Like he'd miss a chance to show off… But like you're the one to talk… Who brings Honey Buddha Chips as a gift for an exchange? I felt sorry for Min-Seo," Zen scolded him.

"Well, Yoosung was happy to trade though," she smiled.

"You brought the BD of your last drama, so what makes your present better that mine?" Saeyoung looked offended. "And Yoosung brought a gift card for LOLOL, clearly picking something only he'd like to get. At least mine was edible!"

"You and Min-Seo also play LOLOL occasionally, so I picked it considering the odds one of you two might getting it," Yoosung defended his choice teary. "I put a lot of thought into it!"

"Jaehee also enjoyed the BD we exchanged," Min-Seo comforted him. "So I was glad you accepted the trade."

"Well, I do prefer Honey Buddha Chips to it, so..."

"Heard that? He just admitted my that present was better," Saeyoung patted Yoosung on the back excited, Zen raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't mean that! I'm just not into police dramas and Zen didn't have a major role anyway," he tried to justify his choice.

"What do you mean?" Zen placed his hands on the table looking a bit insulted. "It was not a major part but I had a key role in it. I played the host the victim was in relationship with before she gets murdered. I was one of the main suspects and I also provided important evidence."

"Sounds lame" Jumin added fuel to the fire. "Will not watch."

"You never watch my works anyway!"

"Well, I don't have the time. Also, when I do, I spend it with Elizabeth the 3rd, it's much more productive."

"How is spending time with the fur ball considered more productive than watching art?"

"Now, calling it art is a bit…"

"Jeahee was touched when it was revealed that your character truly loved the victim but he didn't want to drag her into his world or sully her name, since she was a married woman, thus he denied that he knew anything about her at first," she commented.

"Right?" Zen looked happy. "I'm glad you understand."

"Jo Won's role as Detective Park was really captivating! I liked how he dealt with the loss of his own daughter and the struggles within his family while he was working on the case. His emotional portrayal of the character was definitely the best part!"

"So she says," Jumin said.

"Oh, but Zen was also great! I can't wait to see you play in another detective drama. Whether it'd be a detective or a villain, I bet you could portray it perfectly," she did her best to sound supportive seeing him depressed.

"Too late to say that now… Though I know that I can't compare to seasoned tv actors."

"What about playing Policeman B, you could definitely pull that off and it's within your reach," Jumin said and Saeyoung snickered challenging Zen's temper.

"Jumin, that was mean..." she gave him a scolding look.

"Well, I'm trying my best, so I don't care what you think! And you didn't even have the right to butt in the conversation… You didn't even bring a present!"

He unconsciously touched the box in his pocket; not loosing eye contact with the furious actor. Zen had jumped on his feet, with the hands on the table supporting his body while looking at him challengingly. Yoosung was munching a biscuit watching them anxiously while Saeyoung didn't even try to hide that he was enjoying himself. He closed his eyes feeling tired already, why did he have to deal with this? He was hoping they would not bring it up in the first place, but the conversation ended back at it even though it had deviated a bit.

"I had bought one, but I returned it to the shop since I could not make it to the party. No point keeping it since I could not attend," he folded his arms irritated that he had to explain himself to him and because he felt the need to lie no less.

"Zen got lucky, he ended up with Jaehee's hand-knitted scarf," Min-Seo tried to light up the conversations. "It really suited you, Zen."

"Of course," he scratched his nose feeling flattered. "With a face and body like mine, it's hard for something not to suit me."

"What about your gift?"

The question came naturally to him, he wanted to know and somehow he was regretting that he had not joined them… just a bit. Maybe he was over-thinking things, everyone had brought gifts they personally liked or something only one or two out of six of them would like. Was it wrong for him to pick something with her on his mind? But on the other hand, his choice was obviously the worst, of course a guy would have no need for a hair ornament and the group was consisted by four of them, so the more he was thinking of it, it was needless to say that it was suited for a direct exchange. Did he sound too eager for an answer? She looked surprised by his question.

"Got curious?" she finally smiled brightly. "I made a panda keychain. I was a bit hesitant since I thought it'd be too cute for a guy, so I was glad that Saeyoung did not mind."

"I like it," he said and waved a cute panda holding a red heart hanging from his keys. "It's cute."

"Isn't it? Jaehee suggested we should make something handmade for the occasion and I found the instructions while I browsing the net looking for something easy to make. I thought it'd be something I could manage to make. It proved harder than I thought and the first attempts were a failure," she revealed hers taking it out of her pocket, it was similar but it was not holding a heart. "But it was addictive and though I threw out a dozen of them, it started taking shape."

"Oh, so now we match!" Saeyoung adjusted his glassed.

She chuckled at his comment.

"Well, it's nice that you liked it, I regretted not being able to learn how to make another pattern before Christmas. I'm sorry."

"Panda's are cute, I like them! No need to apologize."

"Thank you," she smiled again. "I'm honestly glad you didn't mind."

"I wouldn't mind either," he blurted out with a straight face.

They were taken aback by his words, unsure if they had heard him correctly or if it was an attempt to crack a joke. The truth was that he was surprised himself, but Saeyoung's comment annoyed him a bit, he almost wanted to snatch the keychain away.

"You wouldn't?" Zen hesitantly asked in order to confirm it.

"I wouldn't. Pandas are almost as charming as cats. Well, nothing is cutter than Elizabeth the 3rd though."

"Still, I could not picture him holding this keychain," Zen murmured.

"Would a CEO go around carrying a keychain like this? What would your executives think?" Yoosung asked

"Hm? I don't really care about that. It's not like I go around showing them my keychain anyway."

"Are you serious?" Zen asked in disbelief.

"Well, I can picture it," she laughed. "Jumin not caring about what the rest of the world thinks is one of his best merits sometimes."

His heart skipped a beat again; he did not like this feeling.

"You are exaggerating, but yes."

"Maybe I should make one for you too then."

That startled him.

"Don't make it the same as Seven's."

"Dude, she just offered to make one for you for free on her free time, just be thankful instead of making requests."

"It's ok, maybe I should add a different colored heart, thought since it's handmade and I've not completely gotten the hand of it, it'll look a bit different anyway."

"Then, make it purple."

"Just how selfish can you get?" Zen asked.

"Yeah… Mr. CEO," Saeyoung leaned in and whispered by his ear. "You penthouse is card locked, so why do you even need a keychain anyway?"

"Sorry to interrupt but what about Jaehee? When are we going to see her?" Yoosung asked. "It's supposed to be her birthday."

Yoosung had a godly timing asking that, it distracted the ex-hacker's attention and gave him an excuse to avoid his stare. It made him anxious that he could not answer his question, what was the feeling that made him ask for one too, he could not tell.

"Oh, she is busy with her cake," Min-Seo explained. "She said she wanted to decorate it herself. I'll go fetch her and bring you re-fills. Jumin didn't even get a drink yet, I'm sorry."

"No need, the customer service is always awful here after all," he said.

"Hey!" Zen was about to argue with him again.

"You say that but you always come back," she grinned.

"Really?" Saeyoung asked.

"Yeah, he drops by for coffee pretty often."

"I'm just supporting an ex-employee… and it's not too far from my office so it's convinient."

"It's not too close either," Saeyoung narrowed his eyes.

"Well, thanks for your support anyway. Be right back."

"Gosh, Jumin, be a bit more honest," Yoosung sighed. "The place is really friendly and I really like their cakes and their coffee."

"Hm? But I was? They often neglect me if I drop by in rush hours just because I'm their acquaintance. They think that offering me free cake and then chat with be for a bit can make up for it but it's not very professional."

"A rich guy… whining for free cake," Zen was done with him; he didn't even have the energy to argue.

Even though he complained, he couldn't help but to recognize the progress the place had made over the two years it was open. Jaehee not only had picked a nice location but also created an efficient campaign targeting working young adults. The décor was tasteful, the prices affordable and the service very friendly, so it gained quite a few faithful customers in a short time who were visiting during their breaks or after their work. That helped them spread their name mouth to mouth too and after just one year they had to hire a few employees as the demand grew higher. His ex-assistant was indeed a capable woman and one who would explore her options and keep studying on the field she had chosen after her resignation. No wonder it was hard to replace her after she left. As a businessman he could not help but admire her efforts as she was striving for a healthy business within a withering local market, he wouldn't even hesitate to invest in acquiring the brand name if it meant having her as a partner.

At first he did not want to visit the place and he could not deny that his first visits where not very pleasant as, displeased as he was by her resignation, he ensured to note every single flaw he could find. But even as he did that, Min-Seo, who was in charge of the customer service, always smiled and nodded at him and by the next time he visited the place it was fixed. However, after a while he was not sure why he kept visiting even though he had recognized their will, nor he could explain the fuzzy feeling inside of him every time she took the time to chat with him. After a while, he had even managed to fix his visits to align with her schedule almost perfectly. He could not understand his actions completely but he knew that he was thinking of her a lot and that he was missing her smile when he could not see her for days.

Troubled over his thoughts, he was barely paying attention to the other guys; Yoosung was complaining about being single, nothing new there. It was unlikely he'd find a girlfriend before New Year's Eve, so hearing him making a big deal out of it seemed like a waste of his time. Zen's advice to him were obviously useless too and clearly based on his experience, but since their personalities were completely different, Yoosung would hardly put any of them into practice unless he'd magically gain unfathomable confidence. It seemed that it was clear to Saeyoung as it was to him, because he did not let the chance to tease the poor, blond boy pass by. The bespectacled man was always perspective, to the point it was scary sometimes. As for him, he had plans to spend that day with his beloved cat, so he didn't even feel the need to get involved in their conversation.

"Finally, the birthday girl is here!" Saeyoung stood up and everyone followed his example.

Jaehee was smiling shyly. Her hair were long now, she was dressed more feminine. A beautiful, mature woman. His decision to force a dress code on her while he was working under him was on point; just thinking that there was even a small chance his father would get into her and make a move made him sick, thus he did not regret it. She greeted everyone whole-heartily, thanking them for their presence there and their gifts. Even though he greeted her back properly wishing her happy birthday as they shook hands, he could not focus on her. His attention was anchored on Min-Seo instead; her smile looked so fake -unlike a few minutes ago- and her eyes which were shining brightly now looked empty, almost like she was detached from reality, it made him feel uneasy.

Up went his eyebrows, ignoring the others who were complimenting the cake's decoration. What had happened in the span of a few minutes? He glanced sideways feeling that Yoosung of all people had sensed that he was staring at her too much. His uneasiness grew by the minute but he tried to bury his desire to approach her. Soon enough, everyone was singing happy birthday. He knew that she would normally sing louder and happier and louder than everyone else, but she just mumbled the song, clapping along with the others without much enthusiasm as long as it finished. The customers joined them congratulating Jaehee on her birthday, those who frequented the place even approached her to shake hands.

She was standing by her side, as Jaehee was busy thanking them, staring into space. He could not tell if she had sensed him staring at some point, but her eyes finally locked with his. That seemed to bring her back to reality as her plastered smile vanished for a moment. She looked away sadly and kind of embarrassed and then offered him an awkward smile. He squinted his eyes, but she avoided his gaze again. He could not stand seeing such a lonely expression on her face, he felt like something her grabbed his heart squeezing it hard.

"I want to thank everyone for coming here today," Jaehee smiled slyly when the customers finally went back to their tables. "Today is a special day, not only because I am getting a year older," she joked. "…Or because everyone is celebrating with me in this special place for me… But also because I… Actually… we'd like to make an announcement," she flushed and her fingers softly touched Zen's hand. He accepted them, lacing his between them and smiled at her encouragingly. "We decided that we'd like to try… start living together."

"Eh? Where did this come from? Aren't you roommates with Min-Seo already anyway? " Yoosung innocently asked eating his cake.

"You guys were dating? Since when?" Saeyoung asked more quick on the uptake but still shocked at the news.

"What?" Yoosung choked.

"Just how oblivious can you be?" Jumin offered him his glass of water.

"Well, we wanted to be sure it'll work out first, considering it might affect RFA if it wouldn't. We didn't mean to keep it a secret this long, but we somehow lost the timing to reveal it," Zen explained it. "So it does seem sudden, but we've properly dated for a while now."

"Did you practice your lines before saying this?" Saeyoung asked raising an eyebrow.

"I didn't!"

"We also had to consider Zen's career…" Jaehee added.

Everything was clear to him after that. The source of that painful expression was laid before him, but why was his heart aching too? It was not supposed to be like this; he didn't want to see her trying so hard to conceal it in front of everyone, but if he had to be honest to himself, he was hurting more over something he was suspecting for a while now.

"Assistant Kang…"

"Yes, Mr. Han," she replied as a reflex and immediately covered her mouth realizing her blunder.

"Are you sure about this decision?"

"What are you even asking her?" Zen stood up confused.

"I am," Jaehee answered without even a hint of hesitation in her voice.

"Then I will support you, since I trust your judgment… So I will not hold back too."

"What the hell?" the young actor cried. "Since when did you like her?"

"The drama!" Saeyoung raised this spoon and took a bite of his cake while watching them.

"How did you even get that idea?" Jumin replied coldly.

"But… you just said."

"Kang's taste is questionable, but her boldness is inspiring. It's nothing more than that."

"Thank you," she looked at him puzzled.

"I think we should bring wine to celebrate. Right, Min-Seo?"

"Eh?" she turned to him. "Ah! Right… Wine," she put up a smile. "I think red wine would suit the happy occasion. I'll go bring it."

"Then, I should also-" Jaehee was ready to stand up.

"The couple should stay together," he stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder.

The truth was that, even though he applauded their decision to take their life and their relationship to the next step, no matter how cold that'd sound, he couldn't care less about it at that moment. Trying to stay collected, he followed her calmly to the kitchen, trying to avoid raising any suspicion. He opened the door and walked into a perfectly clean and organized kitchen to the surprise of a couple of the kitchen stuff. She was standing in front of their cellar with her hand lingering over a bottle of wine like she was frozen in time, lost in her thoughts, her other hand gripping her apron. The shoulders tensed the moment he touched them and he turned to him in daze. Her hair brushed against his hand and for a moment he could not help but to twixt a strand between his fingers.

"I can choose one for you," he said and picked one before she manages to stop him. "Christmas time is a busy period; it looks like fatigue already got to you. We are also busy during these days, so I can understand the toll it can cause to your body and mind. Why don't you take a short break? I'll tell the others."

"I don't-" he flinched her forehead.

"Don't let the customers see you like this. It's unprofessional," he turned his back to her taking the bottle with him. "You'll also worry her…"

"Jumin…"

He stopped on the spot with the door half-closed and glanced at her over his shoulder. In reality he was taking more about himself and not Jaehee; it was hard seeing her in this state. She was trying to find her words but gave up soon and smiled softly.

"Thank you," she simply said.

He nodded. He couldn't tell her that he didn't want to see her wearing this expression, that he felt happy seeing her smile and his heart raced every time he called his name. But he understood that her heart was not beating for him at that moment. So he just left…


	2. My no1 person, surely

"_Little by little I realized that my eyes were always following you, whether it was in the chatroom or in our gatherings… I wanted to hear your voice, I was graving for your smile. That's why I knew that the smile I was graving for so much was always meant for someone else. Still, it was too late... My thoughts were already full of you."_

It's been two years already since they first started sharing an apartment. Meeting Jaehee and the RFA seemed like something out of a book or - as Jaehee would say - like something out of the musicals ZEN was acting in. Still, it was the happiest period of her life. Working together, living under the same roof, spending their free time discovering new things; she finally had a place to call home. If her meeting the RFA members had changed her life, then Jaehee was the one who gave meaning to it when she needed it the most.

"Happy birthday!"

She jumped on her roommate's bed after sneaking into the room. Her loud voice startled Jaehee in her sleep who screamed and pushed her away as a result. As expected from a judoka, her strength was not something to look down upon. She lost her balance and failing to hold onto the bed, she fell down dragging the blanket Jaehee was using along with her. Realizing what had happened, Jaehee gave her a stern look. Seeing her baffled expression first thing in the morning made her laugh, Jaehee puffed her cheeks to show displeasure, but with her messy hair and her eyes still red from sleep she only managed to make her think that she was cute.

"Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday dear Jaehee… Happy birthday to you!" she sung.  
"Min-Seo… Just what were you thinking?" she finally chuckled leaving her bed and gave her a hugged her kneeling next to her.  
"I wanted to surprise you," she smiled playfully.

"Well, you did achieve that," she sighed placing a hand on her chest.

It was her turn to hug her, causing her to fall back on the floor along with her. She hummed the birthday song as Jaehee whined about it; but she just rolled around on the floor, tangling her self in Jaehee's blanket. It was Jaehee's birthday, so it should be a special day and thus she could not help but smile. She was looking forward to give her her present and see the rest of the RFA members, Jaehee always had fun when everyone gathered together. Seeing her in such a good mood, her roomate could not help but smile back, how could be feel angry about that when she looked so happy to celebrate with her?

"Thank you," she said.  
"Yes, let's have fun today."  
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it," her eyes wondered to the clock. "Oh, look at the time!"

Anxious as she always was, she stood up quickly, padding on the floor with her slim, bare legs and left the room in a hurry. Min-Seo stretched her arms and legs lazily and crawled up on Jaehee's bed, burring her face in her pillow and yawned; she was so excited last night about the following day she had barely slept. Her light steps soon returned into the room. From the rustling sound, she could tell she was browsing through her clothes. The warmth of the bed already had an affect on her, she was about to give in to her drowsiness when Jaehee pulled her from her leg.

"You must get ready too you know!" she scolded her while holding her dress in the other hand and she grunted as a response holding on the mattress. "We can not be late," Jaehee huddled, standing in her underwear. "So cold..."  
"I know," she said blushing at the view, slamming her eyes shut. "But we still have time, take it easy today. It's your birthday."  
"I know, but..." she put on her dress and paused for a moment. "Today is a special day and I want everything to be perfect, so I can't help but fee a bit impatient."

Jaehee's room was painted in a soothing lavender color; she had choosen it saying that she needed a color that it'd help relax when she was at home, replacing the dull white color it was originally painted with. Her desk was completely organized but the frame of her computer screen was always covered with sticker notes. Of course she had a tv in her room, they often watched DVDs there together, she had a great collection, her shelves were already overflowing with them. Needless to say, most of them were DVDs of musicals and movies ZEN had acted in. They were also placed in separate shelves while his rarest posters were decorating her walls.

Her eyes followed her as she was moving around the room and then carefully applied her make-up and did her hair. She sat up and crossed her legs, hugging the warm pillow. It was rare for her to do that in the past. Jaehee was already beautiful so she hardly had any need for it, she thought, but she was happy to see her taking care of herself lately, she was in high spirits. Resting her chin on the pillow, she whistled flirtatiously.

"Stop it!" Jaehee gave her an embarrassed look. "And please get ready!"  
"Hmmm? Jaehee… Did you change your shampoo?" she blinked at the pillow.  
"Eh? I'm using the same as usual."  
"I see… Strange," she said and dismissed the thought that it smelt kind of different.  
"Min-Seo, get ready!" her voice was more demanding now.  
"Yes, boss!" she run out of the room laughing as Jaehee, seeing Jaehee's furious look, she always got mad when she called her that but it was fun to see her reaction.

It was a special day indeed! There was no need to push Jaehee's limits but it was fun teasing her. They were expecting everyone from the RFA to come to their cafe, the preparations were complete but Jaehee insisted to decorate her cake by herself. She was getting better and better at it. Her managing skills were top-notch and she had almost mastered brewing after taking classes to develop her skills but she was now evolving her baking too. Her mind could never rest, she always wanted to learn something new and it was clear that she was enjoying her job.

"Min-Seo, let's go!"  
"Coming!"

They had seen the guys during the X-mas day; it was a fun night, they had played games and exchanged gifts. Sadly she did not managed to pick the one Jaehee had prepared but she had at least managed to trade with Yoosug, getting the BD of the series ZEN had last stared in. Jaehee was ecstatic when she gave it to her; she was usually buying the DVD version since they were cheaper. They watched it together the next day. Jumin had not managed to join them, but she was hoping he would that day, Jaehee would be glad and it had been a while since everyone had gathered together.

Her phone buzzed. She opened the app, it was a message from Yoosug.

_"__Good morning! Did you guys eat? I had omelet rice for breakfast. Looking forward to this afternoon!"  
"'Morning! We did. Getting ready for work now. See you guys there!"_

The same evening, everyone showed up together, as promised, bringing presents for Jaehee. Well, almost everyone, the C&R CEO had not arrived yet. Taking their sits, they had already started sharing their news when Saeyoung waved towards the door. Jumin had just entered. Finally the group was complete and their table got livelier right away. As she had thought, it was a pity they had missed the opportunity on X-mas day. It seemed like everyone was feeling the same since the conversation went around their last gathering and their present exchange.

"_What about your gift?"_

A puzzling question she did not expect; he looked curious. Yet again it was rare but not unusual for Jumin to show surprising aspects of himself. Maybe he was sad that he was unable to attend, even though he was acting indifferently. No wonder he was visiting the cafe so often lately, was he feeling lonely? She didn't have the time to think about it at that moment though. It was Jaehee's birthday, but she was the only one missing from their table. She should go check how the decoration of the cake was going and fetch her.

"Jaehee, is the cake ready yet?" she asked entering the kitchen.  
"I'm putting the finishing touches," she looked proud of it.  
"Everyone is waiting for you. Wow, it looks so good!" he praised her.  
"You think? I hope it'll taste good too."  
"I'm sure it will."  
"I want everyone to enjoy it."  
"A, this is a present from Jumin."  
"Oh. Mr.H-Jumin came too? I'm glad.  
"Not you too, Jaehee," she frowned.  
"My bad. I should focus a bit more. Old habits die hard it seems," she sighed, placing a hand on her cheek. "Can you please place it by the other presents?"

"_Jaehee sighs a lot lately,"_ she thought.

So even Jaehee could be a bit overexcited for her birthday, she was constantly flustered by he smallest things since early in the morning and was checking her clock often. She was happy to see her opening up with time and being honest with her thoughts; to her eyes Jaehee was flourishing more and more by each day and she was elated to be by her side. If she could be just a bit selfish she'd wished they could spend that day alone together, but seeing her beaming like that, she knew the gathering was more than worth it.

"Actually, Min-Seo," Jaehee touched her hand, that made her heart skip. "I wanted to confess something to you, but I could not find the right timing. It's a bit embarra-"  
"I'l listen!" she grabbed her hands excited it, her heart beating fast. "I'll listen, so you don' have to hold back!"  
"Ah… Thank you," she looked confused but smiled.  
"I wanted to tell you for a long time now… But I was not sure about my feelings then, I was not even sure if it was the proper decision, so I thought it'd be best to test how things were going first and then tell everyone… But I feel I should tell you first, no I want to tell you first, you should be the first to know..."  
"Jaehee..." she was overjoyed. _"Could she __be__..."_  
"I'm going out with Zen… We decided we'd like to try living together."  
"Me too!"  
"Eh?"  
"What?"

Jaehee's perplexed face made her rewind her words in her head. What had she just said? Going out with Zen? They were going to live together? Did she misheard things? But how could that be possible? Had her heart stopped beating? She could not hear a sound, everything was blurry, but Jaehee's eyes in front of her were looking for an answer. Living together with Zen? Jaehee? Her Jaehee? How? Why? Me too, she had said, was she an idiot or what? She was never hers, she knew that. Was she squeezing her hands in hers too much? What kind of expression did she had on her face?

"Min-Seo?"  
"_Me too! _ I also think you should try living together!"  
"Eh? You mean you knew?" she turned red. "I thought no one had found out we were dating!"  
"Ah… I speculated that was the case..." her laugh sounded so fake. "Just who do you take me for? Of course I knew… I jus waited for you to bring it up."  
"Really?" her face relaxed a bit. "Ah…. I was so nervous. Zen told me we should have revealed it sooner but I was concerned whether you would approve of us or no. A romance withing the RFA could complicate things."

That was so typical of her. Worrying about what others would think even in a situation like this. Her shoulders relaxed letting out the tension of the moment, she simpered. No point reacting like hat, she should comfort her, Jaehee deserved to be happy. Zen was a nice guy. They both deserved happiness. If she could find happiness in his hands, then it should be more than enough. Simple at that.

"You should not concern yourself with things like that. Plus, I'm sure that everyone will support you."

It was no good, her voice trembled.

"Thank you, Min-Seo," she squeezed her hands back. "You are a great friend.  
"Your best friend," she smiled while her heart sunk.  
"My no. 1 friend!" she laughed.  
"Jaehee is my number one person too..."  
"I'm happy to hear that, thank you."  
She nodded. "We should not let the others waiting," she pushed her out of the door. "Go greet them, I'll bring the cake."

Holding back her feelings, the corners of her lips twitched as she forced a smile and followed behind her carrying the cake. It was the right thing to do, she ought to be happy for her, she had to. It was her fault she got her hopes up and misunderstood things, she had no one else to blame. Wasn't it selfish that she was expecting Jaehee had realized and accepted her feelings when she was trying to hide them? But... When did they start dating anyway? She thought they were just meeting in a friendly way. How could they hide it so well? But did they really? After all she knew, since she was always watching her, that Jaehee was happiest when she was around Zen. Wasn't it just her denying the facts, hoping that Jaehee would not make a move considering Zen's career?

"Smile, smile, you have to keep smiling, just endure it. Be happy for her. Sing happy birthday for her, it's her special day, it's supposed to be a happy day," she reminded her self.

They were going to announce it by any minute. She hated the thought, but what confused her the most was the void left inside of her. It almost felt like she was unable to select a proper emotion. Was she angry? Sad? Happy? The sensation was awful, her whole body was numb. However, it would be better not to let her emotions show, for her shake and hers too.

Looking up, she met Jumin's eyes. His expression staggered her, why was he brooding? C&R's CEO was always perspective, so he might had noticed something was wrong with her. She avoided his gaze after giving him a sad smile, it was wrong to concern other people over it and she didn't want to ruin everyone's mood either. However, as they finally announced their relationship taking everyone by surprise, the pain in her heart grew stronger and she felt disgusting by herself for thinking that it would be nice if it didn't last for long.

"Are you sure about this decision?" Jumin's voice rung in her ears  
"What are you even asking her?"

"_Zen is mad. No wonder. But I don't want to heart it… I don't want to hear her answer…"_

"I am,"

"_Why did you even have to ask? Of course I knew already… I knew, but..."_

"Then I will support you, since I trust your judgment… So I will not hold back too."

"_Ah, he is right. Jaehee always takes everything into consideration. She wouldn't make this decision if she was not sure about her feelings. I should support them too. I should… But, it's hard..."_

"Right, Min-Seo?" his voice snapped her out of the thoughts, he had said something about wine; naturally they'd want to celebrate. "Ah! Right… _Wine. _I think red wine would suit the happy occasion. I'll go bring it."

It was a great opportunity to leave the room; she had felt like running away since she left the kitchen after hearing the news. Did she remember to put up a smile before she leaves? She wasn't sure. The cheerful chatting has started to feel more like an annoying background noise. Her throat was dry, maybe she needed a drink. Why should she pick one anyway? Her hand lingers over a bottle of Pinot Noir. She didn't even feel like picking one for them after all. It would be nice if time just stopped, it'd be even better if she could rewind time.

An unexpected touch made her shudder. It was almost as if someone had caught her having these awful thoughts again. It was Jumin, the last person she'd ever expect to enter Rever's kitchen. Did he follow her? For what reason? But somehow, she was glad to see him, him being there brought her back to reality again. She should pick a bottle, get over with it and go outside again to celebrate with them like nothing had happened.

"I can choose one for you," he said and picked one

"_Ah, a dolcetto… But... it has a bitter finish, unlike it's name… " _her eyes followed his hand. _"An unconventional pick… It will not accompany the cake well."_

"Christmas time is a busy period; it looks like fatigue already got to you. We are also busy during these days, so I can understand the toll it can cause to your body and mind. Why don't you take a short break? I'll tell the others."  
"I don't-" she didn't finish, he cut her by flinching her forehead.  
"Don't let the customers see you like this. It's unprofessional… You'll also worry her…"

Was he trying to be considerate? She could hardly read his expression but he had helped her relax. It became hard to hold back her tears, she didn't want to go back there so perturbed. It was obvious that he had figured it out. That fact frustrated her the most, but put her at ease the same time. She was thankful he reached out to her, giving her the time she needed. She wanted to say many things to him but she couldn't find the words to thank him for not asking any questions, for not giving her a single judging look, for giving her time to recollect her thoughts and find her composure again... So she simply thanked him and he just nodded, not turning to look at her.

She bit her lower lip and run to the bathroom, sweeping her tears clumsily. She owed him one, but before that she had to let everything out and then go back to them wearing her best expression and then pretend that she was moved to tears by their announcement to cover for her puffy eyes until she was back to their apartment. Jaehee was not there, she would spend her night with ZEN so she was able to cry her hear out freely. She cried and cried for hours until her eyes could not take it anymore and she laid on her bed exhausted.

Her phone buzzed. It was a notification from the RFA's app. She sniffled her nose and decided to check it to help her mind wonder to something else. Yoosung, Saeyoung and Jumin were all n the chatroom. She was about to enter but stopped as she was about to sign in. What if they were discussing the news of Zen and Jaehee's relationship? She didn't want to participate to that. She was ready to toss it to her side when she got a new notification, a message his time.

"Jumin….?" she clicked on it.

"_Did you arrive home safely? If you need anyone to talk to, call me anytime."  
"Yes, everything is fine! Thanks for joining us today, it was fun! ^ 0 ^ "_

She cringed at her own text. The exclamation points were one thing but the emoji was clearly an exaggeration; it made it look even more forced that it already was. Another text…

"_I was happy to join. Let's chat a bit more next time."_

A simple text. He did not push the conversation, was she too cold to him? She couldn't tell. Then again Jumin usually responded calmly to any situation, he wouldn't make a fuss over that. It was a long day and she did not had the energy to think about it. But she could at least make the keychain she had promised him to thank him, even though she was not sure if he was serious or not and give him the next time he would stop by the shop. Maybe that would help her keep her mind occupied too.

The night felt longer than usual, she had fallen asleep crying and woke up with a terrible headache. A bed, a wardrobe and a bookshelf filled with various books, a small table in the middle of the room. She thought that it looked pretty empty for the first time after two whole years, maybe she should have personalized it a bit more. It would be her room even if she left it as it was, but it would not be their apartment for long. Without her this place she called home would feel even more emptier. The thought pierced her heart.

One day later, empty boxes were laying on the floor, while a couple of them were placed by the door already packed. She was gathering her stuff already, not hiding her excitement, but she was getting sentimental whenever she was taking a break. For the first time she hated the efficiency she always admired about her, it mean the days they'd spent together would be less that she had first imaged.

"Should I leave a few of my framed posters behind? The wall looks so empty now..." she took a sip from her black coffee. "I know they'll be safe with you."  
"No need to worry about that," she assured her. "Are you afraid you'll get sick of him seeing his face everywhere in the apartment?"  
"That will never happen," she laughed. "Thanks for helping me though. Sorry to bring this up to you so suddenly, but I've paid the rent for the next two months upfront-"  
"You know you shouldn't though," somehow her words made her mad. "I'll be fine."  
"Min-Seo is a strong person, so I have no doubts about that," she said after a small pause. "But I'd feel bad if I could not give you time to decide if you'd like a new roommate or look for a new apartment. So it was just a selfish move on my part to make me feel less guilty."  
"Well, I don't plan to look for another roommate, so I guess I'll leave this place sooner or later," she said placing tape on another box.  
"I'll miss it… It holds so many fond memories… I'll miss the time we spend together after work too. Let's make sure to meet up often…"  
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it..." her mouth felt bitter.  
"It'd be nice if you stayed there though. Now I think about it, it was almost covered with my things. It'll be a nice opportunity to decorate it according to your taste… It feels like I forced my taste on you a lot."  
"It's ok… I loved it as it was..." she didn't dare to look at her."It's going to be a busy day," she continued after an awkward moment. "Are you sure you don't want to take the day off? I can cover for you."  
"God, I can't believe it's New Year's Eve already! It's fine. He is gong to meet me after we close the shop, but are you ok with the evening shift? Jumin was right, you look exhausted these days."  
"I'll be fine… I had a bit of trouble sleeping, that's all. Maybe I should stop drinking coffee for a while."

Coffee had nothing to do with her condition, but she could not explain the truth so it's was her pathetic way to cover it up. Moreover, her work was keeping her mind busy, so it was the only way to escape her thoughts. Due to the holidays, the shop was swarmed by university students most of the time and that made their place livelier, thus it was also helping her mood. They had to close it a bit later than usual that day since their customers were more than willing to spend just a bit more time out with their dates of friends, purposely ignoring their closing time.

"Have a happy new year!" the employees waved at them.  
"Yes, see you in two days," she smiled while locking the door.  
"Min-Seo, are you sure you don't want to come with us?"  
"I'd feel sorry for Zen if I would. I bet he planned a lot of romantic events just for today. Tell him to take good care of you for me," she smirked. "And to beat up whoever tries to hit on you."  
"You know something like that won't happen," she covered her mouth laughing.  
"Who knows," she chuckled and put her hands in her pockets, she loved watching her laughing. "Then he'll come save you shouting something like… Don't touch my woman!"  
"Well, I can picture that, he does love his lines."  
"Though his woman can protect her self with ease."  
"That's true!"  
"Well, I'd do the same though, anyone would want to have the chance to shine in front of the one they like. Jump like this," she jumped in front of her and opened her arms wide. "And say… I will not let you touch this woman, she is mine and mine alone!"  
"Oh, this one was good too," she clapped excited. "That tone really suited you!"  
"I'm not confident that I could win though," she rubbed her neck slyly. "Running away would be a safer choice."  
"Well, that could work too," she snorted.  
"Jaehee..."  
"Hm?" she raised an eyebrow.  
"Have a wonderful night," she smiled genuinely for the first time after a couple of days.  
"Thank you. You too."  
"Well, I'm going to meet a friend, so I plan to have a blast tonight!"  
"I'll be back in the morning, so let's spend some time together, since it's our day off... "  
"Ah! Zen is here!" she pointed at a black motorbike. "Gotta go then. Zen, have a happy new year!" she waved from afar.  
"You too!" he yelled under his helmet.

That was good enough. Her smile faded as soon as she turned her back to them. Maybe she should consider an acting career after the successful act she had put on the past two days. The night was cold, she buried her hands further into her pockets after adjusting her scarf. In reality, she had no plans, no friends to meet and a broken heart. Not the nicest way to spend New Year's Eve. She didn't want to call any of the other members either, she had decided it'd be best to spend the time alone since she wouldn't be a good company.

"I need a drink..." she mumbled and breathed deeply.

The dry, cold air made her cough. She stopped, feeling tired her, and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was a mess. Her breath clouded the window of her fancy salon in front of her, they looked busy inside; it was normal, everyone wanted to look nice in a day like that. Most of them probably had a date set already. And there she was, looking at them like a menacing witch, jealous of their happiness. Her hand touched the handle on an impulse and she entered inside.

"I'm sorry, can I ask you for something really quick...?" she asked loudly.

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**In case you are wondering if it feels weird to write about New Year's Eve in the middle of summer... Yes! Yes it is...**


	3. Wine tastes a bit like love

**"**_I smiled at you, lied to you, pretended everything was fine. I thought I'd give up, but I couldn't. And though I held back as always, the truth was I wanted to scream I love you as hard as I could. The wine tasted sour that night; I thought it tasted a bit like my love for you."_

Everyone was excited about New Years. The city was buzzing more than usual. He could not share the excitement. All the decorations, the fancy ads; it was easy to exploit an event like this. As a businessman he could at least justify the whole hype as a way to generate profit, no matter how cynical that sounded. Taking some time off was undoubtedly the best part of this; though he could live without the traffic on the streets. It took him more than usual to reach his apartment.

His phone rung again. He didn't even bother checking the identity of the caller. Was it the tenth or the eleventh time by then? He had lost count. He should have taken the hint already but of course he would not give up that easy. Pointless. He had already decided that he would not answer or return his calls. Had it not been his father's new girlfriend and her company, he'd very much like to spend his night with his father, he was also a bit excited at first, but he had no intention to put up with it when he found out they would not be alone. And he had even asked him to buy a present for her, it was infuriating. He felt like a fool for believing even for a moment that he'd be willing to spend the New Year's Eve just with him.

"Have a happy new year, sir."  
"Thank you, Mr. Kim, you too," he said coldly, exiting the car.

At days like this, he missed his best friend the most. Just the thought that he'd like to have him by his side that moment made his steps feel heavier. He stopped in front of the entrance of the building, his breath was taking shape in the cold air. He looked up at the sky for a moment. Writers and poets were paid liars, he thought. Writing texts and texts about how even when someone was not still in this world, he'd stay with you forever. Parts of V were still with him, the memories they shared, the photographs he had gifted him... But he could faintly remember his voice anymore, his face was often blurry in his mind, he had to revisit old videos and photographs often to remember it clearly and that scared him. What if one day he'd forget him completely? Instead of just feeling him being by his side, he'd very much like to have him there, alive and well.

His friend loved the starry sky, but he was not there to see it. If he were, he'd like to ask him so many things. V would surely give him the answers. His advice was always helpful. Had he forgiven him? He asked himself that many times, but could not answer. Lately he started to think that he could not hate him from the beginning, so there was nothing to forgive anyway. But he'd never be able to tell him that. There were times he thought that it'd be nice if V was there and he was not; he even wondered if someone would miss him as much as he missed him if that was the case.

It was not like him to be so sentimental. Maybe the night was getting to him. His hand searched for his key card in his pocket. It was a chilly night. He entered inside the building and took the elevator avoiding eye contact with the security guard, no need for a typical greetings.

Finally home. Elizabeth came running at the sound of the door and greeted him with a meow, rubbing herself on his trousers as a welcome. He smiled and leaned down. At least he had her. His long fingers run through her fluffy, white fur and he smiled sadly at her. Her being there was enough. It should be enough for him. It was New Years Eve so he should give her a treat to thank her for being by his side. He opened the cupboard and picked a gourmet can of cat food. She meowed and run to her bowl, anticipating the unexpected gift.

"I'm coming," he said pouring a glass of wine for himself in the meantime.

Placing her bowl by his armchair, he sat on it and took a sip. The night view from his apartment was always soothing; he was not very fond of his place, but he always loved the view. But it felt quieter than usual, no matter how much effort he'd put to its decoration it always felt kind of empty. Unknowingly, he had become more aware of his growing loneliness, and the unfamiliar feeling that accompanied that fact was stressing him out. He had to deal with it a lot the past few days, it was tiring and it agitated him a lot. He took another sip of his wine, he knew he should have eaten something first but his appetite was not great lately. Contacting his nutritionist would be a good idea. A change in his diet could help. It'd be nice if he had dinner with his father, it'd been a while since he had last dined with someone out of work. He did enjoy eating Kang's cake, even though he was avoiding eating sweets.

"I hope you like it," he said looking at Elizabeth and she meowed as a response to his voice; her appetite was just fine though.

It seemed like his father had given up. His phone had been quiet for a while. He took it out of his pocket and checked his missed call. He had also sent a text asking where he was and why he was not asnwering. He rubbed his forehead feeling more and more exhausted and decided to text him back just to inform him that he was ok. He'd stand by his statement but there was no need to worry him about his wellbeing. After texting him, he eyes stopped on the RFA app. She had not logged in since that day. Was it worng of him to contact her that night?

**-Jumin Han has entered the chatroom-**

**Yoosung:** Just a few hours left… And thus another year comes with me being single.

**Seayoung:** No surprises here.  
**Yoosung:** Too late to find one now… T^T  
**S****aeyoung:** IT'S  
**S****aeyoung:** THE  
**S****aeyoung: **CEO!  
**Yoosung: **Jumin, hello!  
**Jumin Han:** Hello.  
**Yoosung: **I did no expect you to see you here!  
**Saeyoung: **Shouldn't you be enjoying a luxurious meal somewhere right now? Why are you on your phone?  
**Jumin Han: **I was planning to, but my father preferred his girlfriend over me.  
**S****aeyoung: **I think the sad part is that your father has a girlfriend but you do not.  
**Jumin Han:** How is this the sad part?  
**Yoosung: **Are we just a bunch of forever alones?  
**S****aeyoung:** LOL! Talk about yourself.  
**S****aeyoung:** I'm going out tonight! Meal with my employee!  
**Yoosung: **A WOMAN? 0^0  
**Saeyoung: **NOT TELLING  
**Yoosung: **So mean!  
**Yoosung: **Maybe you'll be the next one to find love after Zen  
**S****aeyoung: **Yes, it seems it's too late for Jumin now  
**Jumin Han:** More importantly, Min – Seo has not logged in for a while now.  
**S****aeyoung: **More importantly, he says!  
**S****aeyoung:** DO  
**S****aeyoung:** YOU  
**S****aeyoung: **MISS HER?  
**Jumin Han: **It's concerning, since she used to log in at least once a day.  
**S****aeyoung:** Keeping tabs I see  
**Yoosung: **Eh? Jumin, are you interested in her? 0_0  
**Jumin Han:** Never mind, forget I asked.  
**S****aeyoung: **Love is in the air!  
**Yoosung: **I'm spending the day with my parents by the way. My mother cooked for us.  
**Jumin Han:** A family meal. Sounds nice.  
**S****aeyoung:** Are you changing the subject?  
**S****aeyoung:** Don't you want to know how is she?  
**Jumin ****Han:** I just thought I should ask.  
**Yoosung:** Why don't you call her? Though I think Jaehee mentioned she was working an evening shift today.  
**Jumin Han:** I see… Well, I have to go now. Good night.  
**Yoosung: **Goodnight!  
**S****aeyoung: **Hey, wait

**\- Jumin Han has left the chatroom -**

Entering the chat room proved to be a bad idea after all, the conversation just added more to his stress. The ex-agent was really pushing it. He had teased him like that repeatedly the past few days for some reason and it had become tiring. He'd never give him the pleasure to confirm his claims but he could not deny it either, it felt wrong to do so and that added to his confusion. He was aware that he was interested in her but at this point he was not even sure if she would ever be interested in him.

Now laying on his bed, he wished the day would end already. No point in worrying, it'd be better if he could keep his emotions in check. Elizabeth hopped on the bed and curled beside him purring, satisfied by her meal. He let the phone fall from his hand on the mattress and shifted his body trying to get more comfortable. Petting Elizabeth with one hand, he unbuttoned a few of his buttons with the other. He did not have he energy to change; how unsightly of him. His eyelids felt heavy, it made him wonder if the wine and his exhaustion were getting to him.

He had fallen asleep before he realized it; he woke up after a short nap by he sound of his mobile phone ringing. Letting out a groan, he rubbed his eyes and looked at its screen, initially thinking that it would be his father again. But the name he saw on it made him sat up right away. _Min-Seo…_ His heart raced. As the phone kept ringing, he needed a moment to regain the presence of his mind before picking it. It was so rare for her to call him, what could she possible need at such an hour? Did she just want to wish him happy new year or was it an emergency? What time was it anyway?

"Yes, hello..." he answered, his words were a bit stiff.  
"Jaeheeee… What took you so long to answer?" she whined. "Is it because you are with him right now?"  
"Well… I am no Ja-"

His heart sank. So she had just pressed the wrong name before calling. Was it disappointment what was feeling at that moment?

"I know you are with him… Why though? Jaehee…. Don't go, ok? I don't like it..."  
"Min-Seo, where are you right now?" hearing her taking like this was asking for immediate action.  
"Jaehee is my angel after all," he ignored his question. "I don't want to give up on you… I can't. I like you."  
"Min-Seo… Can you please tell me where are you right now?" he tip toed around his room, picking up his jacket and wallet, putting on his shoes as quickly as he could.  
"That's not important..."  
"It is..."  
"The thing is..." she paused. "I like you… _I like you so much_..." her voice was lower now. "I like you so much, so why can you be mine? Be mine, please… How can I make you mine?" she asked sobbing.

He stopped. Listening to her voice so close to his ear, her heart beat fast even though he knew these words were not meant for him, he almost held back himself not to ask her to repeat those words. That's not like me, he thought. He leaned on the wall feeling weak and tried to catch his breath again, what was his body getting excited for, his heartbeat was not normal. She was clearly drunk, every word she said was painful, but for a moment it felt like she was talking to him.

"Min-Seo, is anyone else there with you?"  
"What? Are you jealous?" suddenly, she sounded happy.  
"I am… I am extremely jealous right now. So is anyone you can put on the phone right there? I want to make it clear that you are mine."  
"Ahahaha… You don't have to be," she laughed. "But I was jealous too you know..."

She sounded bashful. He'd had to work around her mood shifts somehow. But still, it was ridiculous that she had not realized that she was talking to the wrong person. Then again it was working on his favor so he could not complain. If Seayoung was in his place, he'd definitely try to change his voice and pretend he was Jaehee, but he could never pull that off. Not to mention that the thought alone was already quite embarrassing.

"I know," he said.  
"I hated it."  
"I know… It must hurt."  
"It does hurt… It hurts a lot..."

Was she crying again? Her emotions were in disarray.

"It hurts a lot," she continued. "… But I want you to be happy. Be happy even if it's not with me..."

She sniffed. How should he react to that? It felt like he was invading into something personal, but he could not just hung up the phone.

"Can you give me someone else on the phone, please?" he had to know where she was.  
"Why are you insisting so much? I only like you, no need to get jealous. I am alone- Hey, give me that!"  
"Hello..." an unfamiliar voice. "Do you know the owner of this phone?" a girl asked. "Can you tell me her address? I'll take her back home, she is in no condition to go alone."  
"Yes..." he ponder over her suggestion. "I know her, so I will come to pick her up. Can you tell me the address of the place?"

Sending her back to her place was probably not a good idea. She'd be alone, no one could help her if there was a need. Telling her address to a stranger didn't seem proper too. Plus, if Jaehee returned home soon, things could turn bad. If she had to face her, she would do it when she was sober. However, the girl on the phone had turned silent. Could it be that as he was wary of her she was also suspecting him?

"We had a fight and she didn't tell me when she'd go. Can you please stay with her until I come?" he asked already leaving the penthouse and entering the elevator. "She sounds pretty drunk, so I'm worried..."  
"Well… She… Ok. The address is..."

"_Oh, it's not that far from her workplace..." _he raised a hand as soon as he reached the pavement to call for a cab. "_Thanks God a nice person was nearby."_

That put his mind at easy. Since the pub was not close to his place, it'd take a while to reach her. He was also worried about the traffic he would encounter on his way there. Luckily, he had found a cab easily. Since his driver had already gone home, he didn't have another option. He had to admit that his bad driving skills would put them both in danger in this kind of situation.

"Please hurry, I'll pay double..."

His left leg was shaking from his nervousness. A couple of hours ago he could not even imagine that he'd end up involved in something like this. Since he was already concerned by her absence in the chat room, he should have trusted his judgment and call her to check how she was dealing with the news. If he had, all this would have been avoided. He should not have hesitated.

It took them a while to reach the place and each minute had made them more and more anxious about her situation. He had called a couple of time to check if she was ok; the girl just told him to hurry up. It was not easy to stop her from drinking. She was going on and on about different types of wines in the background and asking for more while the barman repeatedly declined. As soon as he entered, his nose was attacked by the smell of booze and cigarettes. It was packed with young adults, you could barely hear the music over the noise of their conversations. He could not hold back a disgusted face while his eyes were scanning the whole room. He could not understand why someone would choose to spend his New Year's Eve like that. He finally spotted her sitting by the counter.

"Min-Seo!" he called struggling to pass through the patrons.

Her face was red, she was supporting her chin on the counter while holding an empty cup. She was completely wasted. Straightening her back, after she heard the sound of her name, she looked around and let out a hiccup. Next to her was standing a group of four people. A young girl with long, dark hair was alerted by her sudden move. He deducted it was the girl he had spoken with on the phone. When he had almost reached her, she finally realized he was the one who called her name and waved at him hard in a sudden spur of energy.

"It's the handsome CEO, Jumin Han!" she said aloud mimicking Saeyoung. "JUMIN, HERE!"

"Yes, I'm right next to you," he grabbed her hand to stop her from waving right in front of his face.  
"Mr. Han is here!" she told the girl beside her.  
"Mister..." she squinted her eyes.  
"His name is JUMIN!"  
"Thanks for taking care of her," he bowed.  
"I'm Min-Seo," she stood up and raised her hand.  
"Are you her boyfriend?" the girl asked angrily and pointed a finger at his chest. "How could you have a fight with her a day like this? And you let her go out and drink alone? What if something happened to her? Did you cheat on her or something? She was crying a lot you know, mumbling a girls voice again and again."  
"Eun-Ji..." the guy next to her smiled nervously. "You should not pry too much..."  
"No, guys like him piss me off..."  
"Jumin," Min-Seo placed a hand on his shoulder interrupting the girl and pointed at them rather enthusiastically. "They are dating!"  
"I see, good for them."  
"They are a couple!"  
"Now you are just repeating yourself."  
"They even kissed!"  
"I guess that's what couples do," he took the cup out of her hand.  
"No! I want to drink more!" she whined trying to grab it back.  
"You're drunk enough. Let's go now," he pulled her arm.  
"No!" she grabbed the counter. "Why are you even here?"  
"I came for you..." he started pulling her harder. "Come on, don't make a scene."  
"No! Where are you taking me? I want to stay here!"  
"Now you are just being stubborn," he started to loose patience. "Has she paid her tab?"  
"Ah? Yes," the girl answered.  
"Good then," he grabbed her and placed her on his shoulder.  
"Thanks again."  
"You say that, but are you even her boyfriend?" the girl was still suspicious.  
"Ah! It's Jumin's butt! Hello!"

Eun-Ji's friends tried to hide their laughter seeing her waving at it happily. They had already drawn enough attention and the situation was getting more embarrassing by each minute; he could feel his cheeks burning. Did she just touched his butt? He slapped her hand away while the guys of the group snickered at them and the girls averted their eyes pretending not to notice. If nothing else, he was grateful she had stopped struggling and was just hanging there counting the tiles on the floor while skipping a few numbers in between. Her attention span was non existent at that point.

"Goodnight then," he wanted to leave the pub as soon as possible.  
"No! I want to go back!" she cried when they finally exited the place.  
"Shut up, I'm trying to help you!" he finally snapped and opened the cab's door; he had asked the driver to wait for them.  
"Oh, like a hero!" she laughed as he was putting her down. "A hero needs a theme song!"  
"Get inside," he asked but she was resisting.  
"Maybe I should come up with one… Doesn't Han almost sound like_ man_? Are you Juminman?"

It was pointless, he could not reason with her. She wasn't even listening to what he was saying and she would not budge either. In the end, he gave up trying to resolve things politely and held her up, princess carrying her in the cab along with with. Luckily she did not react to that, she was too busy trying to come up with the lyrics.

"Please take us back," he said out of energy.  
"Juminman-Juminman! It's the amazing Juminman!" she hummed swinging her legs up and down. "He has a cat and a big house, he calls her cute when she meows!"  
"Isn't that spideyman theme's tune?" he asked exhausted. "The lyrics don't sound very heroic though."  
"Ah! Spideyman is the best!" she clapped her hands. "Let's go watch Spideyman Close to Home together!"

Clearly, she was unable to focus on one thing, the very next moment she was singing the ridiculous song she had come up with again and then claimed that she had come up with one for Elizabeth too; it was essentially the same tune but she was just meowing instead of singing. He covered a smile with his hand, he could not believe he had found that cute. But what had surprised him the most was that she had cut her hair in the few days they had not met. They were almost at the same length she had them when they first met; it brought back memories.

His fingers run through them; he could not hold back the urge to touch them. Under his touch, she let out a happy sound and made herself more comfortable on his lap. His heart beating fast made him feel uneasy and he removed his hand clumsily. Her energy level had fallen and her eyes had started closing.

"Juminman..." she hummed.  
"Are we there yet?" he asked the driver but in reality he didn't mind it, staying like that for a little longer.  
"I'm sorry, sir… It'll take a while."  
"Were are we going? Are we going home?"  
"We are going to my place."  
"Will Jaehee be there?" she mumbled.  
"That's impossible."  
"Of course it is… It is, isn't it?" she teared up.  
"I'll be there..." he touched his forehead on hers. "Just bear with me."

Thankfully, she was quiet for the rest of their ride, just mumbling random words from time to time. He had to support her while walking since her steps were unstable till they reached the penthouse. Elizabeth greeted them right away and rubbed her fur on their legs while he was trying to take off her shoes. Letting a loud interjection by the sight of the white cat, she eagerly tried to pet her slipping from his hands and she fall on the floor facedown, startling Elizabeth who run away and hid herself under a chair.

"No, come back," she cried.  
"I don't think you're in the right state to pet her," he commented taking off a shoe; it was easier that way.  
"Jumin, does she hate me?" she asked in tears.  
"I'm sure she doesn't."  
"Elliabeth, why do you reject me too?" she let a woe, crawling towards her, she didn't even pronounce the name properly. "Come here, Elizabeth! Let me show you my love."  
"Just stop for a moment-" he said struggling to take off the other one.  
"What's this?" she covered up her mouth. "Is this the feeling of rejection?"  
"Oh, no..." he stopped caring about the shoe and quickly carried her to the bathroom, placing her by the toiler and held her hair back.  
"Is it because I am a girl?" she asked, tears running down her face.  
"Come on..." he rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.  
"Is it?"

She started vomiting after that again and again, coughing in between. Her tears mixed with her snot. He felt that he was not even waiting for an answer to her question; it was sad that she had reached to that conclusion by herself. When her vomit finally stopped she looked pale. Exhausted, she leaned on her side, supporting her body on his torso. Just how much did she like her to drink until she reached that state? She had dirtied both hers and his shirt. Sighing, he helped her to the bathtub to wash her face and then helped her on her feet, taking her back to the room and sat her on the bed.

Making sure she had placed her properly in a sitting position, he took off his shirt and changed quickly, then looked back at her. Her shirt had vomit on it and he also got her wet while he was trying to clean her face. He picked one of his shirts and proceeded to change her as carefully as he could. The result was ridiculous; it was too big for her but it should keep her warm. He'd made sure to order a change of clothes through the net from the shop located in his apartment building; they were lucky he had read the situation and placed an on his way to the pub before the store closes. The benefits of living there; they sure were hoping to sell overpriced last minute gifts. He had seen an outfit he'd thought it would suit her a couple of days ago, he bought a pair of shoes to match too. The should be delivered by the morning, they contacted him saying that they had left the package to the security guard as he had ordered. He made a note to ask for it the next morning.

"You are so troublesome..." he said, helping her lay on her side and knelt on the bed to place pillows behind her back.

He was about to stand up when he noticed her fingers were grabbing his shirt. She was breathing heavily, mumbling Jaehee's name once again. A tear run on her face. How many days was she crying for her? He swept it with his hands and sat beside her patting her head softly.

"It's ok now..." he rested his back on the bed-board and looked at the night view from his bed.

Fireworks lightened up the sky; his eyes, though tired, opened wide. It was midnight already. Elizabeth run under his bed scared while she moved beside him, curling up more on his sheets. Her grip had loosen up and her breathing slowly became lighter, she was asleep. She took her hands in his and watched her breathing.

His friend loved the night sky; he'd gaze silently at it even when his sight was fading. He always wondered why but he had missed his chance to ask him what was so special about it. As she was laying beside him and he watched the fireworks illuminating the sky. he thought that they were really beautiful for the first time in his life and that he'd like to watch them again if he were with her. And with that, he could not help but wonder if the starry sky held some special memory for his friend too. If that's was why he was solemnly smiling at it. It'd probably be like that for him every time he watched fireworks since that day.

"Happy new year, Min-Seo..."


	4. A wish, impossible as it was

"_I dreamed of it once… Waking up with you next to me, watching your sleeping face in he morning… And even though it didn't happen as I had imaged… and even though I was not the one in your heart, I was happy. But I could not help but wish that I could make you mine forever. And somehow that thought was painful and kind of scary."_

It didn't take long to realize that she had overdone it last night; she could tell even before she opens her eyes; her body felt heavy and the light dizziness on her head made it worse. Even though she liked wine, she was not a heavy drinker, she was aware of that, so she should have known her limits. But it was a lonely night and the more she sunk into her thoughts and her shattered feelings the more she drunk, and the more she drunk the more she lost control. Her memory was hazy; she could remember paying upfront and asking for more but nothing much after that. However the warmth she was feeling next to her and the light smell of coffee were soothing. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand trying to shake off the drowsiness and opened them only to meet an unfamiliar view.

"_Where am I?"_

Thinking about it, she could not even remember if she had made it home and the bed _did_ feel more comfortable than usual. Before her view could clear up completely, she felt someone breathing next to her. A shudder run down her spine and she sat up despite the numbness she was experiencing. Startled at the view of the man beside her, she shuffled off confused. Her sudden move almost made him drop his coffee. Confused, she looked around her and then at his unbuttoned shirt, his messy hair and then at the oversized shirt she was wearing. She rubbed her temple, still a bit dizzy, trying to recollect her memories of the night before. Her heart was beating fast. What had happened? And why was Spideyman's theme song stuck in her hear? It was making her headache even worse. She went to the salon and then for drinks and then… And then what? How had Jumin played into this? Had she done anything stupid? What had happened between them?

"So, you' re awake."

Jumin's calm voice broke the silence first and made her jumpy. He was staring at her as if he was waiting for a good explanation… She covered herself with the blanket instinctively but he didn't seem to waver. As she was trying to find her words, images of the previous night flooded into her mind and with every scene she remembered her embarrassment grew more and more. Her face started burning up and she covered her self completely under the blanket she was holding onto. She wanted to dig a whole and hide inside, however the only thing she could do was to hide her face, unable to look at him in the eye.

Not only she had bared her secret in front of him, she had also acted shamefully, giving in to alcohol. There was no way to apologize or excuse her behavior; some adult she was. Plus her memory was not clear enough and she could not bring herself to ask him if something had happened after that. As his hand touched the blanket over her head and pulled it away, she trembled with shame and looked up to meet his eyes who were looking at her curiously.

"I'm sorry," she finally said and left the bed before he could say anything. "I must have caused you a lot of trouble…. I… It's not what you think."

Her eyes searched for her shirt. She wanted to run away. Jumin had witnessed an aspect of herself she had not intention to reveal to anyone and that scared her; whether they had slept together or not, things would still be awkward and she didn't want that. She cursed herself for ruining everything. Her panic building up inside her made her breathing heavy as she was aimlessly looking around for her clothes, incapable of focusing on the situation. Her nerves was a mess, her eyes were tearing up more by each second she could not find them. When he blocked her way, the truth was she was about to give up and simply leave with whatever she was wearing, but as he placed a hand on her head and forcefully pushed her forehead on his shoulder, she was not sure why but she just let her tears fall freely.

"Don't ever do that again. If you need someone to talk to, I'm always here..." she bit her lips, her hands reached to his shirt and grabbed it. "It must be hard."

"Huh," she nodded.

"It's not easy to give up."  
"I should be happy for them," she sniffed, her voice stifled, her knees felt week. "I really should…."  
"It'll take time."  
"It hurts," she buried her face more in his shirt.

"I know."

Kindness was the last thing she was expecting; not after revealing the feelings she was harboring for her roommate to him and acting so pathetic about it. Jumin accepted it without any questions, it was enough to make her happy, despite her tangled feelings. She swept her tears and suddenly she realized that she was acting inappropriate again the moment her eyes met his bare chest. She pulled her hands away feeling self conscious.

"Thank you," she said balling her fists and looked away.

"No need, it was my duty… _as Jumiman_," he responded with a deadpan voice.

"Why did you have to bring that up now?" she flushed and pushed him away taking a few steps back. "And with such a straight face."

"Well, you know… It's because... with great power-"

"Stop it," she bended her knees and hid her face in her hands.

That surprised her. Jumin had joked from time to time in the chatroom but he didn't tease anyone easily in real life, that was usually Saeyoung's role. So it was a first. She was not happy he had brought up her embarrassing antics, that was for certain, but at the same time she was glad that Jumin was the one who had helped her; not only he didn't judge her for anything, he even went into the trouble to lighten up the moon in his own way.

"Well, who doesn't love spideyman," she murmured in a childish attempt to defend herself.

That made him snort. The fact alone made her look up, her eyes widen. Jumin was trying to hold back a genuine laugh. She could swear it was the first time she had witnessed such a smile coming from him.

"I guess," he said.

_"Cute..." _her eyes widened at such a view.

"I'll make you tea… It'll be good for you stomach. Are you hungry? My chef is not here today, but I'll make pancakes, I'm actually really confident in making them."  
"There is no need to," she said following him to the kitchen. "I imposed on you too much, I should go home."  
"Stay..." he pierced her with his eyes. "Can't you spend the morning with me?"  
"I..." her fingers grabbed the edge of the oversized shirt she was wearing. "I suppose it's the least I could do."

In reality, his stare made her a bit nervous, she didn't know what to make of it, but she relaxed seeing him smirking as he resumed with the recipe. He seemed to be in good mood which was strange considering what she had made him go through. And, actually, she felt guilty for ruining his New Year's Eve, how could she make up for it? How rude of her, she hadn't even though about that until that moment. She grabbed his arm and he turned to her disturbed.

"Jumin!"

"Yes?" he looked at her quizically.  
"Happy new year!"  
"Ahh..." he rubbed the nape of his neck. "Happy new year to you too."  
"I wish you health!"  
"Thank you..."

"Oh! I know!"

She ran back to the living room where she had spotted her jacket and took something out of her pocket. Elizabeth saw her running and followed her to the kitchen.

"It's not much, but here," she presented it to him. "The keychain I promised! Thanks for everything."

"You made it just for me?" he looked baffled.

"It's a bit childish but-"

"Thank you," he said, taking in his hand and smiled at it. "I like it."

It was a sincere smile. Seeing his delight, she felt relieved that she had not lost it; the time she had spent on it was worth it. She smiled back. But looking him being so casual made him look different than usual; he messy hair, his wrinkled shirt, him cooking. It was unlike the image he was upholding most of the time. That reminded her… she pulled her own shirt down as a reflex, a movement that did not go unnoticed.

"I ordered a pair of clothes for you yesterday. Yours still had vomit it on it, I'll send it to dry clean it before I return it."  
"There is no need to do that!" she objected. "And… There was no need to… lend me yours," she said uncertain of what words to pick.

"I had to change it, since yours was dirty and soaked...Hm? What's with that face?"

"Well… You saw..." she said feeling her cheeks burning, though his words filled her with relief.

"I've seen you with a swimsuit before," he said while mixing the ingredients.

"It's not the same… It's more personal..."  
"Isn't it the same though?" he titled his head.

She held back a retort and folded her arms thinking while supporting herself on the counter. Maybe he was right, there was no need to make a big deal out of it. Since nothing had happened, she should be thankful he was the one who found her even though she had not asked him the details yet.

"I'm glad it was Jumin the one who found me after all," she said her thought out loud and smiled.

Almost like she had pulled a trigger by saying those words, he left the mixer fall from his hand. It hit the tip of the bowl and rolled on the kitchen counter. His right hand slamming right next to her alerted her, his face now inches away from her her, he looked straight into her eyes with a serious expression. The lingering smell of coffee... his lips only inches away from hers... He was way too close. Trying to regain her personal space she squeezed her body on the counter.

"You shouldn't be. I'm also a man you know," he breathed. "I could have taken advantage of you."

"But..." his actions confused her, she pushed him back lightly. "...You didn't."  
"I see no pleasure in making someone mine without consent," he replied diligently. "But..." he paused. "I also have to hold back sometimes."  
"I see..." she blinked. "Then, I'm even more glad you were the one who found me," she smiled brightly.

"Just forget it..." he pulled away with a strangely disheartened expression. "You should not be so careless, you trust people way too much. Why are you always like that?"

Had she offended him somehow? She must have said something wrong, she thought. Elizabeth meowed by her feet distracting her from her thoughts. A weird smile appeared on her face and her fingers twitched over her white fur. It'd been so long since she had last seen her, she was even cuter up close than she were in her photos. She fawned over her collar, she hadn't see her in a picture wearing that one, it must have been a relatively new one; a Christmas present maybe? She leaned down more, huffing in excitement.

"Can I pet her? Can I?" she asked with pleading eyes.  
"Just be careful with her," he warned, feeling uneasy by her expression.  
"Elizabeth, come here..." she petted her head gently a couple of times and Elizabeth rubbed it against it asking for more pets when she stopped and meowed. "She meowed..." she turned to him ecstatic.

"I heard it."  
"She is cute!"  
"She sure is!"  
"Can I feed her?"  
"Ok, but you have to weight the portion properly first. Come, I'll show you."

She had the general idea that taking care of a pet had a lot of responsibilities but since she never had her own she didn't know much about the process. It was exciting, but measuring the food make her nervous, what if she made a mistake? Elizabeth had a strict diet but it looked well-planned, it almost made her feel bad for the strays they were feeding behind their cafe. Till then she never thought that she could ask Jumin for tips, she made a mental note to ask him another time. Elizabeth put one paw on her leg and meowed again in anticipation; since the strays had not warmed up to her yet and kept refusing to let her pet them, petting Elizabeth while she was eating filled her with pure bliss.

"She is eating right next to me!" she pointed at her thrilled.

Oddly enough, she could swear she had caught him staring, but he turned away his gaze the moment she looked at him. Had she imagined it? He looked completely focused on the frying pan. He had even wrapped an apron around his waist, preparing the pancakes with almost mechanical moves. There was no hesitation in them, he had probably copied the process to the core. It made her wonder if he loved pancakes so much he'd spent hours on how to perfect them or if he just learned how to make them on a whim. She raised an eyebrow, she did caught him taking a peek. Did he feel like she was evaluating him because she was watching him cook? Perhaps that made him anxious.

It had been a while since she had last visited this place. It was her third time here, they were usually meeting outside. The first time, it was a few days after Jaehee had quited her job, she delivered some important documents on account of her; things were a bit awkward back then. He had invited her in but she had refused politely. The second time, it was on his last birthday. It was Saeyoung's idea to threw a surprise party at Jumin's place. Regardless of Yaehee's and Yoosung's concerns, he hacked the security system and everyone by passed the security guards with Zen's help, who distracted them. Zen -refusing to enter because of Elizabeth- only joined them after Jumin had returned from work. As Saeyoung had noted, his constant sneezing would give them away, so it was for the best. Jumin wasn't that thrilled by their surprise but welcomed them anyway; it was a fun evening.

A sweet smell filled the room as Jumin was serving the pancakes he had promised. She took a better sniff and her stomach betrayed her hunger with a loud growl. Hoping that he had not heard it, she decided to pretend that it never happened and continued to stroke Elizabeth's smooth fur. The white cat laid in front of her and licked her snout to show her content, she had just finished her meal. Letting a delightful purr, she poked her hand with her paw. It was hard to prevent herself from pulling her into a hug, she could share Saeyoung's enthusiasm, every time Jumin had brought her along with him, she felt like stealing her. But she knew better and refrained from saying something like that. It'd be nice if she could have a pet though.

"Breakfast is ready," he called. "Here, your tea as well."  
"It looks great! Can I take a photo?"  
"Suit yourself."

Strawberries were out of season but the one he had used looked fresh. It must have cost a lot to obtain them. He had even added handmade cream. She took a bite and let out a moan of delight, covering her mouth; she did not expect it'd taste that good.

"I could eat this every day!" she said while munching another bite and gave him a thumps up.

He chuckled and then cleared his throat, thanking her modestly for her positive comment. Her smile faded watching him eat his pancake quietly. The man in front of her was taught to keep appearances no matter what the case was, so he was hiding every expression he deemed unnecessary or inappropriate. How hard could that be? She knew she could not handle it and also she felt kind of sad watching him holding back, she wished he could at least more confortable around the RFA members. It was not the first time she had thought that; he always had to act mature and take care of everything, but she wished he'd open up a little. Somehow, it felt like he was more free in the RFA chatroom than he was in real life.

The sound of the front door opening forcibly interrupted their meal and commotion followed as a man argued with the security guard. Jumin looked alerted and stood up right away, asking her to keep enjoying her breakfast until he returns. He did say that but he looked too pale and anxious to just ignore the situation and keep eating while he was away. The voice of the man outside made him nervous enough to fail to close the door properly.

"I don't need permission to see my own son," the man roared. "Jumin, are they acting on your orders?"  
"They were ordered not to let anyone in without my permission."  
"I'm not just anyone, I'm your father! Jumin..." his voice sounded more and more demanding. "Why did you not join us last night?"

"I had other matters to attend to."  
"Shouldn't meeting your father on New Year's Eve be a priority?"  
"Why? You had company anyway," his tone could not hide his bitterness.  
"Leave us," he commanded the security guard and took a moment before speaking again, now with a colder voice. "Jumin, I will not tolerate this kind of behavior. My friend's daughter was there, you were supposed to meet her. I was so embarrassed and had to excuse your absence just because you don't like my girlfriend? Since when did you start acting so immature? Do you realize my position and the bad impression you left to those people?"  
"I had denied the invitation properly many hours prior to this engagement. I can't see why I must apologize for not showing up in an appointment I never promised I would attend."  
"Noone told you you could deny this invitation, Jumin!" he sighed. "You are turning 30 soon, you have to find a good woman who can accommodate your lifestyle. A capable woman like Ha Rin will be a proper match for you. I will re-arrange the meeting-"

Listening to their conversation she left like she was prying in a personal matter she should not have to, so she picked up her phone trying to distract her self but didn't even swiped the screen to unlock it. Every word the Chairman had spoken hit a nerve. She had stood up to close the door, but hearing him talking like that to him, she just stayed there, with her hand on the doorknob. Why wasn't he getting mad at him? He shouldn't have to apologize for the way he was living his life. A man like him who was working hard ever day, who was trying to be considerate to his friends whenever was needed, an overachiever. Why would a person like him would let someone else dictate his life? She had seen him dealing with stress many times, so he could at least spend his free time however he wanted. And an arranged marriage at this day and age? Her grip tightened around her phone and anger consumed her. How being forced to marry someone you didn't love could lead to a happy life? Being treated as an investment instead of a human being… wasn't it just the worst?

Aware that she should probably do not interfere, she could not control herself and stormed out nevertheless. The Chairman looked at her shocked as soon as she entered the room, his eyes rolled from her to Jumin and then back at her before letting out a disappointed sigh. Noticing his expression, Jumin turned to her muddled. She didn't have much time to contemplate her action and if she had to be honest she probably wouldn't regret it anyway, the Chairman strode to her and checked her out from the top to the bottom expressionless.

"Is this the other matter you had to attend to?" he finally asked. "You should have told me you were with a woman. It is a bit surprising, but having a small affair is different from looking for a serious relationship."  
"Min-Seo isn't-"  
"You are standing in front of me so why are you talking to him like I do not exist?" she asked looking at him straight in the eyes. "I'm not an affair, I'm his friend. Jumin helped me last night while it was not his obligation, but whether he would attend that kind of an appointment should be left in his judgment anyway."  
"Well, I'm sure he did _help_... How can you even claim you are just his friend when you are wearing his clothes?" he smirked and crossed his arms. "You have a lot of audacity for an outsider!"  
"Well, even an outsider can tell you this; he is your son, not your investment," she placed her hands on her hips.  
"Aren't you a rude one?" his eyes widen. "This has nothing to do with you."  
"It has! Jumin is my friend. You do consider him old enough for marriage, but not old enough to respect his wishes? Outrageous. Can't you see you are troubling him?"  
"I'm only considering the best options for him."  
"I don't think he asked you to? Why don't you try considering his feelings instead?" she stood on the tips of her feet to match his eye level looking at him fiercely.  
"Are you afraid you'll loose your- Hold on..." he released his hands. "Aren't you this girl from the RFA?" he noticed.  
"What if I am?"  
"You and your friends depend on my son a lot, distracting him from his work. What are you even doing here, sleeping at his house? If you are looking for-"  
"Enough,," Jumin raised his voice and stood between them.  
"Jumin..." his father looked surprised. "Don't you have anything to say?"  
"Yes… Father," he replied not looking at him. "I'd like you to leave for today, you interrupted my day off and insulted my friend. I don't thing it's a fruitful ground for a conversation. Let's talk some other time..."

"Very well," he finally said but looked at her furiously. "I'll take my leave. However I expect you to consider your position again before the next time we meet."

After glaring at her one last time, he adjusted his necktie and took a big breath, before he exits the apartment. Although she had put up a bravado during their conversation, the whole thing was nerve wracking and his stern face was scary. The mobile in her hand was covered by her sweat. She took a few steps back feeling the tension leaving her body; it was a relief he left without causing more fuss. This situation brought back some bad memories and she felt a bit guilty; was she defending him or was she defending herself indirectly? It didn't matter anymore but she said to apologize in any case. Easier said than done, seeing him staying silent with his hands balled in a fist, her confidence disappeared and she turned around, her back facing his, trying to regain her self.

"Jumin..." she started saying but stopped when his head bummed on the back of her shoulder.  
"Thank you."  
"Euh? No… I might have overstepped my boundaries, so..."  
"Please, don't turn around right now..."  
"O-Ok..." she froze.  
"He ruined it… He had no right to..."

"_What is he referring to? I guess the conversation stressed him out."_

"I should be used to this by now. Things got worse since that incident two years ago. I thought he'd stop after that, but..."

"_Two years ago? Oh, the Glam incident..."_

His hands wrapped around her waist and squeezed her body on his. As he buried his face on her shoulder, she could feel his breath on her skin; it made her heart skip a beat and she awkwardly touched his hands, unsure if she should remove them or not.

"Can I hug you?"

"Well, you are already doing it, no point asking now," she laughed nervously but as the words left her mouth, she felt him pulling her behind.

Unable to hold her balance, she found herself on the floor, her body slammed against his. The moment they hit the floor his hands tighten around her, she found herself sitting between his long legs, with her phone still in her hands. It was impossible to move in that position, his breathing was heavy, his face covered by his hair.

"Jumin… Are you ok?"

"Just… Let my stay like this for a moment," he stroke his cheek against her shoulder facing away.

"Alright…" she gave up, placing her hands on the floor.

It was strangely comfortable and she thought that she ought to fulfill his request since he had taken care of her when it was needed. When was the last time she had hugged someone like this? It had been a while since she was in a relationship. There were not that many anyway, a couple of them didn't last longer than a month; most of them didn't like cuddling much, boys tented to be more restrained about it than girls though. But thinking about her past boyfriends and girlfriends in that situation didn't seem proper; it was unnatural to draw such a parallel.

"You smell nice..."  
"It's not very convincing when you say that to a girl who was vomiting a few hours ago," she laughed.  
"It's fine… Can you stay like this a bit longer? You didn't even finish your breakfast..."  
"That's not important right now. I can stay until you feel a bit better."  
"What if I never feel better?" he asked bashfully.

"Well… You will. Parents can get selfish like that, but don' let it get to you. Jumin is a hardworking and nice person, you deserve to have the life you want."

"I'm not nice… I know I'm not," he tangled his fingers. "I can't fully relate to others and I want things I can't have."

"Well, you can be a jerk sometimes," she snorted. "But, you are still a nice person in my eyes. You accepted me without asking any questions or showing disgust, without judging me..."

"Min-Seo, you should love whoever you want. It does not change who you are. Though, it may sound rich coming from someone like me who've never really loved someone... I always thought that it'd be a waste of emotions, it always seemed fake. So seeing you bursting with so many emotions… it feels real."  
"I'm sure that if you try, you'll be able to experience many things. So when you discover a new emotion, it may feel strange, but don't even try to hide it please."

"Then… I won't. At least in front of you, I won't."

"Are you feeling a bit better now?"

"No, I want to stay a bit more like this…"

She could not deny him, not after seeing him like this so she just bended her knees more, bringing them closer to her body and rested her hands on her thighs. Her mobile screen was full of her prints, she was holding it for a while after all. Swiping it with her clothes she decided to check the time. Her eyes rolled. Just how many calls had she missed? Almost everyone of them were from Jaehee. She checked the time again and then her notifications. Most of them were from the RFA app. Reluctantly, she decided to enter the chatroom and pressed the icon.

**\- Min-Seo had entered the chatroom-**

**Yoosung:** Min-Seo, you're here!  
**Min-Seo:** Hello, Yoosung. Happy New Year.  
**Yoosung: **Hapy New Year!  
**Saeyoung:** Happy New Year, meow!  
**Yoosung:** But, Min-Seo, where are you? Jaehee was really worried. You were not at home and she could not contact you.  
**Yoosung:** She almost asked Saeyoung to track you  
**Saeyoung: **Well, Min-Seo is and adult!  
**Saeyoung:** Also…  
**Saeyoung:** I wouldn't do that for free!  
**Min-Seo: **I'm fine. I forgot my phone on silent mode.

**-Zen has entered the chatroom -**

**ZEN: **Min-Seo!  
**Min-Seo: **Hello.  
**ZEN: **We were looking for you! Are you ok?  
**Min-Seo: **I'm fine, sorry for worrying you.

She couldn't help but wonder if there were together that moment. Jumin adjusted his position behind her. He could feel his chin over her shoulder and sensed him fidgeting but kept her attention to the chat-room.

**ZEN:** I know Min-Seo is an adult, but she had promised Jaehee they'd spend their morning together. So she was really worried when she did not show up.  
**ZEN:** It didn't seem like she slept at home too. You should at least give her a call.  
**Min-Seo:** I know, I'm sorry. Tell her I'll be back soon.

**\- Jumin Han has entered the chatroom -**

**Yoosung:** Happy new year, Jumin.  
**Jumin Han:** Happy New Year  
**Jumin Han:** Min-Seo is with me now so you should not worry.  
**ZEN:** WHAT?  
**ZEN:** (Shocked emoji)

"_What?"_

**Saeyoung: **I see, the CEO was keeping her so busy, she forgot about her phone.  
**ZEN: **Don't even joke about that!  
**Yoosung: **I can't believe this!  
**Yoosung:** Were you also secretly dating?  
**Yoosung: **I won't forgive this a second time!  
**Yoosung:** I was supposed to be the next one to find love!  
**Saeyoung: **That' d be impossible for you  
**Saeyoung:** Love in blooming in the RFA  
**Saeyoung: **(heart-eyes emoji)

Her eyes rolled, she could not believe this.

**Min-Seo: **It's nothing like that! Aren't you guys overreacting?  
**ZEN: **How did you end up with him?  
**ZEN: **Did he do anything to you? Should I come pick you up?  
**Saeyoung:** He did say he wouldn't hold back anymore a few days ago…  
**Saeyoung: **(shocked emoji)  
**Jumin Han:** We haven't even finished breakfast yet, don't come to pick her up.

**ZEN: **Shouldn't she be the one answering?

"_How can you ignore everything else, but still reply to him?"_

She snatched his phone away from his hand furiously and broke away from his embrace pressing the exit button. How could she explain the situation now? She was hoping she could avoid mentioning anything. She stood on her four, pressing the button on her touch screen frantically.

**\- Jumin Han has left the chatroom -**

**ZEN:** What? He left? Running away now?  
**Min-Seo:** Haha… It's not what you think.  
**Min-Seo:** We just had a few drinks together. It got late and he left me stay here.  
**ZEN: **Weren't you supposed to meet your friend?

"_Stop asking questions!"_

**Min-Seo: **She left early and I didn't have company so…  
**ZEN: **He didn't do anything to you did he? Are you ok?  
**Min-Seo: **I called him.  
**Min-Seo: **Of course he didn't! We just chatted. He kept me nice company so…  
**Saeyoung:** LOL. Jumin… keeping nice company…  
**Min-Seo:** Anyway, I'm fine. I'll be back home soon.  
**Min-Seo: **Have a nice day.

**\- Min-Seo had left the chatroom -**

Lies would naturally bring more lies; she hated that. Maybe she should just admit she got drunk. But then again, how could she explain the rest? Even she didn't have a clear image of the whole situation. Of course they would react like that. His words were a bit suggestive. Not that he had lied or anything; unlike her. She cringed at her own reaction, the panic got to her. But putting it like that, it was bound to cause misunderstandings. He should know better. And then Zen was easy to overreact, he definitely got the wrong idea. She turned to him pouting and handed him his phone, he looked back at her quizzically.

That alone added to her anger, how could he stay so calm? She clenched her teeth and sat in front of him crossing her legs while holding back an urge to punch him once. Now she'd have to clear up things somehow, but he didn't even seem to grasp the situation they had put them into. Even if Zen calmed down after a proper explanation, Saeyoung would not let it go easily. And what if Zen would talk to Jaehee about it? Maybe she'd get the wrong idea too.

"What were you even thinking?" she asked but he just looked at her puzzled. "You obviously caused a misunderstanding here," she pointed at her screen.

"I see… Is that why you are angry?" he asked calmly.  
"I..." she took a big breath. "I'm not angry."  
"Well, it's their fault for taking it that way, but if that's what concerns you, I'll clear it up."

"That's not the point! Why did you even enter to write something like that?"  
"Let me think about it for a moment..."

Bizarrely enough, he looked honestly troubled over her question; that gave her time to cool herself off.

"I suppose… I was upset."

"Upset?" she repeated. "About what?"  
"You told me you'd spend time with me," he averted his eyes. "But you said you leave the moment you talked to them."  
"Eh? That's it?"  
"I guess."

She blinked.

"Just to make it clear, I was not looking for an excuse to leave, ok?" she said after a short pause.

"I know."

"And I apologize if that made you upset, I did not realize. But next time, I'd like you to talk to me first. The way you handled it is troubling. I didn't like it."  
"I see..." he looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'll take that into consideration."

It felt strange, how she was captivated by his gaze for a moment; the way he was looking at her was so sincere. His tongue was used to polite speech, smooth words were to be expected coming from his mouth, but his eyes looked like a child's sometimes. It was reassuring, but also kind of scary; it made it had to deal with him when he sounded needy. His actions were often hard to understand, however, since he was open to criticism, she never felt the need to pretend in front of him.

Her ring-tone broke the silence. Her eyes rolled to the screen, sightly annoyed by the timing. Not many people knew her number, so her first thought was that she would have to deal with teasing about what had been said in the chatroom. It was an exhausting morning and she'd prefer to ignore the call, but her prediction could not be more wrong. The name displayed on her screen was not one she was expecting and that made her whole body stiffen. As her hand hesitantly picked the phone, she stood up and took a big breath to prepare herself before taking the call.

"Hello… Yes, good morning. Happy new year to you too. It's been a while," the girl on the other side of the phone sounded as awkward as her. "I'm fine, what about you?...What are you talking about? I doubt he'd be glad to see me… It's been so long and… I don't even care anymore," her voice was low and her replies as short as they could be but the tension was rising. "You know that's not the case! You can always call me if you need something…. No I didn't me-… Huh? You're here? I don't think I can- No…." she looked troubled. "Ok… Well, I'm still your sister!" as these words escaped her mouth, she looked worrily over her shoulder at Jumin, he raised his eyebrows, of course he'd be surprised, he was not informed about it. "I'll be there… I told you I'll be here!"

Explaining the call would be too troublesome; she had avoided talking about her family for so long. The timing was awful too; she had to leave soon, although he had made clear that this would upset him just moments ago. Jumin had already stood up, his body slightly touching her back. He could already tell she'd leave. Putting her phone into her pocket, she turned to face him but immediately took a few steps back, his face was way too close again.

"Do you have to go?" he asked.

"I… I could not deny her. It's been so long since I last saw her. It's a rare opportunity too… Since I don't visit home."

"I understand. Family is important," he replied seriously.

"But I'll make it up to you!" he looked at her startled. "Let's go out sometime! It'll be my treat. Just tell me whenever you are free!"  
"Just the two of us?" he asked hesitantly.  
"Yes, I don't mind. It's a promise," she extended her pinky finger but he just looked at it like he didn't know what to do. "Just take it!" she flushed feeling childish.  
"Like this?" he wrapped his around hers.

"Yes, it's a promise."  
"I see," he smiled. "Sounds like a deal to me."


	5. Curiosity killed the cat

**Hello, there! I finally came around to finish thist chapter! It's been so long since I last updated, I promise the next update won't take so long. I hope that you will enjoy it.**

* * *

"_I'd never dare to imagine being with you like this. But as you approached me with all your sincerity, I thought that maybe I could dream, just a bit. Even a girl like me... And before I knew it, I fell in love. No… Maybe I was already in love for a long time."_

Resting on her lap was really relaxing, he liked how gently her slim fingers brushed his hair, his whole body was melting under her touch. It had been years since he was last in a relationship, but he was feeling drunk on love again after a long time and that feeling was fueling his every day life. Being with a capable woman like her made him want to work even harder, their relationship became an unlike source of motivation for him. But her touch was nervous that morning, transferring her tension to him without realizing it and he could not help but worry about her.

It'd been a few months since they've started dating, but he was wooing her for even longer. What started as a simple friendship, made him wanting to know more and more about her and the more he got to know her, the more he fell in love. It was strange, how he didn't even considered her at first - he almost felt guilty about it- but when he realized that he had started to care about her more than a friend, he decided that he had to take the risk. Jeahee felt so distant back then, he worried a lot seeing her so occupied with her work. But that had changed. Well her worrywart nature hadn't; it was also one of the reason they had kept it a secret for so long. What would everyone think? What if it didn't work? Wouldn't that jeopardize everything? He was not sure if keeping secrets within the group again after everything that had happened was the right thing to do, but he understood her concerns and decided to go along with it. And then again, she would not accept otherwise anyway so he didn't have much of a choice.

He was not sure how everyone would take the news and he thought that they'd tease him endlessly. Well, that may had been the case a couple of years earlier, but everyone had changed since then, to his surprise everything went smoothly and all of them seemed happy about it. They knew each others for many years, it was only normal. They had their up and downs and everyone had grew closer. Min-Seo appeared one day out on nowhere and they ended up twirling in unexpected revelations within the span of a few days. V's secrets brought out the best and the worst parts of all of them. Though he couldn't help but feel that his progress was a little stale compared to how the rest of them had changed.

No, it was not the time for his insecurities to kick in, not while she was so nervous. He regretted mentioning the conversation that had unfolded in the chat-room, even though she would have found out sooner or later. He thought that just knowing her friend was safe would put her at ease. But he could not blame her, knowing that Min-Seo had spent the night with the trustfund kid made him anxious too. He had caught him looking at her with a weird expression on his face before but hadn't paid much attention to it; it was Jumin after all, there was no point trying to read any of his rare expressions and he'd deny everything anyway. But it did worry him back then, seeing that stone-faced man showing even a hint of interest for a woman gave him the chills. Thinking about it, Min-Seo was way too relaxed around him and way too trusting for her own good. What if he had taken advantage of her? He was, too, a man after all, not that he would voice that out loud seeing her being so concerned about her friend and he didn't have any proof either, other than Jumin behaving weird in the chatroom.

Jaehee tucked her hair behind her ear, checking her watch. Her anxious face was also cute, he thought, though he preferred her normal expression. He touched her hand and planted his lips on them in a gentle kiss, her cheeks were immediately painted red. She was still not used to this after all this time and he was secretly loving it, it made him feel mischievous every time he was touching her and admittedly it was stimulating his lust. Placing a hand on her long neck, he smirked and, slightly sitting up, he forced a hungry kiss unable to hold back. It took her a moment to abandon resistance and reciprocate, but the moment she did, he couldn't hold back a pleased moan and he could feel her lips forming a smile while they were kissing.

He was getting more and more into it and he wouldn't mind at all a repeat of last night. Min-Seo, Jumin, the chatroom, everything seemed irrelevant while he was touching her, they didn't have many chances to be alone together so it was all he could think about. All his senses were focused on her, he felt like howling. That's why when Jaehee stood up without warning, he found himself on the floor in shock. Thinking that he had displeased her somehow at first, once he wrapped his mind around the situation he felt embarrassed to know he was too caught up in the moment to notice Min-Seo entering the room keys in hand. Jahee, looking even more embarrassed than him, had turned bright red. It was only normal, since she was not used to show her affection publicly yet. He felt responsible about that since the nature of his work was prohibitive on that matter.

Jahee's reaction was one thing, but what drew his attention was Min-Seo's confound reaction which soon turned into a pained expression. She looked like someone had drained the blood from her face. He stood up, sensing a storm coming when he saw her balling her fists, her tush softly biting the corner of her lower lip. Had she really approved their relationship? He couldn't believe that she really did, judging from that reaction. Then again, maybe she was just irritated because they were making out on the sofa in her apartment, like they had no care in the world, right after making such a fuss for her not being there. He would get a bit mad too if he was in her place.

"Min-Seo, are you ok?"  
"I'm fine," she replied averting her eyes.  
"I'm sorry I made such a fuss and worried everyone. It's just that you wouldn't answer my calls. I got worried. And… Eh? Did you cut your hair? When? You look upset. Did something happen?"

Her cutting her hair was indeed surprising, but even he could tell that her clothes were different too which was much more alerting. It was obvious even though he hadn't seen her from up close last night. If he had noticed, Jahee had also noticed without a doubt and that would fuel her concern. It was evident on her face that she was holding back not to ask for details. What in the world had happened after she left the shop? Maybe Yoosung was right after all.

"Are you really ok?" he decided to ask in her place. "How did you end up with that cat-loving bastard? You seemed nervous in the chat-room. He didn't take advantage of you, did he?"  
"I said I'm fine, didn't I?" she raised her voice. "Why are you so set to paint him as the bad guy?"  
"That was not my intention, but, Min-Seo, you can't just trust a guy that easily, even if it's Jumin."  
"How is that your concern? I said I'm fine… Nothing happened. Don't force your perverted thoughts on us!"  
"Min-Seo! Zen was just worried about you, he didn't mean to insult you. Maybe he crossed the line a bit, but you don't have to speak to him like that."  
"Of course you'd take your boyfriend's side!" she snapped.

Women are complicated beings, he always thought that. Standing between them, he was not sure what to make of Min-Seo's expression, not her sudden outburst. Well, he had pushed things a bit too, maybe he should have hold back his thoughts. But, looking at her, he knew that she had regretted her last words the moment they were spoken, especially when she saw Jaehee's puzzled face. For some reason, she looked more hurt than her even though she was the one who said those words. She took a step back as if she was bewildered by her own actions and averted her eyes. He hadn't seen her look so miserable before.

"Jahee… I'm sorry..." she slightly raised her hands apologetically.  
"It's ok," Jahee forced a smile "It was my fault too… I had no right to pry into your personal life, I apologize."

That was a bad choice of words, not what the person in front of her would like to hear and her cold tone put an end to their conversation. Despite the fact that he felt mad at her for talking to Jaehee like that, using these words and not being honest was kind of cruel on Jaehee's part too. It'd be better if she got angry at her and kept voicing her concerns.

"That's right," she sounded calm all of sudden. "You have your own life now, you should stop worrying about others. Thanks for worrying but… I'm fine. Anyway, I have an appointment today, I can't spend the day with you after all… I'll leave after I take a shower, so excuse me."

He felt the air pressure rising, it was not supposed to end like this… Something was not right. The two women had never talked to each other like that, at least not in front of him, it was like something had cracked between them. Min-Seo reappeared in the living room about thirty minutes later, thirty painfully silent minutes. The mood was ruined and the words they exchanged before she left the apartment were cold. Jaehee looked like she was about to cry. Their fight had the worst possible timing, it'd definitely cloud over her decision to move in with him. Unsure of how to handle the situation, he just squeezed her hand, his eyes searching hers as if he wanted to reaffirm her resolution. She gave him a weak smile and nuzzled her head on his chest. Of course she would not back off her word, but she would not open up about her feelings easily either.

"I'm sure everything will be alright," he petted her head.  
"We were supposed to spend a fun morning together. How did it end up like this?" she whined. "I should not have pried into the situation, but I was worried."  
"Isn't it normal? You are her friend after all, that's what you should have said. Jaehee, you should explain how you felt, she'll understand if you are honest."  
"I don't know, I know she cares for me as much as I care for her, but sometimes I feel there is a wall between us… How can I describe this feeling? And how… No, it doesn't matter," she pressed her face more on his chest.  
"...Did the fact that she ended up at Jumin's house bothered you?"

Her shoulders tensed, she hesitated to answer. Slowly, she sat up straight on the sofa, her eyes staring on the floor empty as if she was thinking over something. Then she slowly shook her head and laced her fingers.

"Not really…" she smiled. "Jumin might be strict and blunt with others and maybe a bit too eccentric sometimes, but he cares deeply about his friends. If anything, I'm glad he was with her last night. I kind of felt bad that she'd spend her day alone. You know, she said she'd spend the night with a female friend of hers but… She hardly calls anyone on her phone all this time we live together, she'd only hang out with me, the guys or a couple of our co-workers. I was a bit surprised when she said that she'd meet with a friend out of work… You know, I thought it was just an excuse to leave us alone and when I didn't fine her at home I thought that maybe something had happened to her on her way home. So I'm a bit relieved actually. I felt that she was hiding something, but if she was just going to meet Jumin, I guess it's fine…"

_"But…__Wasn't Jumin asking about Min-Seo in __the __logs and saying he __was going home after he__ had rejected his father's invitation for dinner __last night__? There is no way he'd lie about that. So… She definitely wasn't going to meet him when she left us… So Yoosung's hypothesis can not be right… __How did they meet? __What happened? __She did say that she was the one who called him, was that true? Why Jumin though? Were they that close?__ I'm really curious right now..." _

Anervous laugh escaped his lips and he pulled her into his embrace, resting his chin on her head. He could not honestly agree with what she had said, but voicing his thoughts didn't seem to be the right choice either. What was that guy thinking anyway? He did say that he would not hold back the other day, was he referring to something like that? After all those years, he was convinced that CEO was not interesting in dating and he'd rather grow old with his cat, but maybe he was wrong after all.

"Hey, Jaehee… I was going to visit Saeyoung today…. Do you want me to stay with you instead?"  
"No…" she shook her head. "I'd better pack up what's left today since I have free time."  
"Are you sure about that?" he doubted that it'd be the right move. "Shouldn't you text her to meet up again later when you've both calmed down?"  
"I'm not sure about that. I think I should organize my thoughts a bit first."  
"Ok..."  
"Have fun," she forced a smile.  
"Ah… Yeah… Thank you."

Trying to shake off the guilt when he saw her smile, he picked up his things and said goodbye with a kiss. Truth to be told, Saeyoung had indeed invited him that day to hang out since Jahee was supposed to spend her day with Min-Seo, but he was not so eager to meet him first thing in the morning so he hadn't given him a definite answer. However, he'd like to hear his thoughts on the matter, even though the red-head was never serious about these things. Turning to Seven to talk about love matters, who'd even think about that? But it's not like he had a better option. Yoosung would definitely freak out if he'd found out about the quarrel too, so leaving him out of this would not complicate the matter for now.

While numerous kind of thoughts ran through his mind, he finally reached outside of a small shop, in a quiet neighborhood of the town; it's storefront was filled with numerous eccentric mechanical toys and plushies. His eyes fell on a mechanical gorilla displayed in the middle of it, a handwritten message promoting the -just like the message described it – _super fun new entry_. He took off his helmet and squinted his eyes leaning towards the front to read the rest. "Lovable Banana Peeling Gorilla Yoo", Saeyoung's handwriting was overflowing on the paperboard. "Try it with real bananas!" the fine print encouraged the customers.

Leaving an exasperated sigh, he looked up at the colorful sign. Seven Star Toy Shop, it said, he was happy that his friend had finally settled down, but every time he visited, ever since the opening day he could not help but worry about his business going under. Who in their right mind would spend money on a banana peeling toy gorilla after all? Definitely not him. Plus, the whole store was emitting such a strange aura, it couldn't help but wonder if parents really entered the place along with their kids, the whole set up and the strange pick of colors made the story look kind of fishy. Then again, maybe it just looked like that to him because he knew the ex-hacker personally. Yes, that should be it, he tried to convince his self while locking his motorbike. He pulled up the zipper of his bomber more and shuddered.

"Coooold," he murmured rubbing his hands together and putting his helmet under his arm he rushed into the store. "Hello!"

His cheery voice echoed into the shop; no reply came. He repeated his greeting once again but didn't get a response. His eyes slid left and right, the place was packed with tones of different, strange looking toys, most of them designed and crafted by Seven himself, the red-head always took great pride in them. He stood up in front of a shelve flooded his a robot toy cat modeled after Elizabeth and frowned. It was the toy-line Jumin had single-handily crowdfunded, though he was not sure if they could call it crowd-fund anymore since it reached and exceeded its goal the first day it was shared online by the donation of just one person. Jumin gained a collector's edition version as a reward yet he dismissed it the moment he got it in his hands because, according to him, nothing could compare with the real Elizabeth, or so he said. Elizabeth didn't seem to like the toy robot entering her space either, not to mention the robot was responding through an AI Seven had installed in a human-like voice and with a strange accuracy at that, which he thought was kind of creepy anyway, so he advised Jumin to just lock the weird toy somewhere and never let it out again, burying it under the ground sounded like a good idea too.

He puckered his lips and took the toy box into his hands. On it, Elly the Cat was printed in huge purple letters. Reading it, he could almost listen to Jumin's voice complaining about the name into his head. Seven re-branded the name just before the toy was released, and the CEO had made quite a fuss about it. Both of them were ridiculous and they had a lot of time and money to spare respectively. He put the box back and rubbed his index finger under his nose, just thinking about the real cat made him feel like sneezing.

"What in the world… Where is he?" he looked around.

There was not a soul into the shop. It was so quiet, it felt kind of eerie, he scanned the room in front of him and was about to call his friend's name again when he felt a strange presence and a heavy breathing. His whole body stiffen and he slowly turned his head to look behind him. His eyes widen and he gulped down his saliva the moment he came face to face with a pink horse, no a unicorn? Whatever that was, it was creepy.

"Welcome…" a strange, unfamiliar voice greeted him. "You must be Zen."

The strange creature touched him casually on the shoulder. Letting out a cry, he tried to run away, only to meet another horse faced creature seconds later. His terror turned into surprise and unable to stop his momentum his collided with it, causing both of them to tumble on the shelves and end up with a pile of toys over them. Groaning, he supported himself with his hands and shook his head to shake away the dizziness, still hovering over whoever that was.

"Oh, Zen... That's so assertive of you," the creature brought his fingers bashfully on his snout and turned its face away. "What if Jahee finds out about this?"

"What the actual f*ck, Seven?" he fell back recognizing his friend's voice.  
"No need to be shy now! Though I can't accept your feelings..."  
"There is nothing to be shy about. What the hell were you thinking?" he slapped the floor with his hand twice to show his irritation.  
"Hi! I'm Moon Chun-Hei, nice to meet you!" the unicorn had just introduced itself.

Not hiding his disgust he backed off a bit. Seven was renowned for his weird cosplay choices but it seemed that he had found another weird person to cater to his weird hobby too. Noticing his uneasiness, the person decided to take of the horse-mask, only to reveal her long, pink-dyed hair and big, bright, light brown eyes. Her lips formed a cheerful, welcoming smile, revealing the white of her teeth and she swept her swept with her her hand. Not loosing time, she leaned over him, cupping her chin and inspected his face from every angle while he was sitting there, stiff as a statue.

"Hm," she nodded and turned to Seven who had just stood up. "He is much more handsome in person after all."

"A-Are you a fan?" he shuttered.  
"Not really," she admitted shamelessly. "But I've seen you on tv a couple of times, it feels good to meet a celebrity."  
"I wouldn't call myself a celebrity," he scratched his nose, secretly flattered by her comment.  
"But it's not like I met Rob Upwny Sr. either," she continued with a hint of disappointment in her voice and Seven muffled a laugh.  
"Anyway…! Saeyoung! Is this how you greet your customers? You almost gave me a heart attack."

"Why? I thought it be fun… Well, I was going for a reindeer mask at first, but then I thought it'd be too cliché…"

"Reindeer…? You could just dress up as Santa or something. And remove the mask already!"  
"Well, aren't you a demanding customer?" he finally took it off. "Dressing up as Santa… Everyone does that. You have to differentiate your self if you want to make it in this industry. Trust me, I'm a professional," he puffed his chest proudly and the girl nodded solemnly in agreement.  
"Honestly, I can't see your business surviving at all if you scare your customers like that."  
"How rude! I have to tell you that our online orders skyrocketed his month! Lovable Banana Peeling Gorilla Yoo is a hit," he defended himself.

"_So, weird people who'd spent their money on things like these do exist out there..." _he stood up keeping this thought for himself. "What about your in-store sales though?"

A pause followed and they both let out a nervous laugh after staying silent for a moment and averted their eyes nervously.

"Well, pretty good I think," he blurted, obviously lying.  
"Y-Yes… Considering how people prefer shopping online nowadays," she added in support.  
_"I guess, I didn't even have to ask..."_

"Aaahhh… I know, what about a cup of tea?" Chun-Hei nervously changed the subject. "It's so cold outside, it'll warm you up," she disappeared at the back of the store without waiting for an answer.  
"So..." Zen brought out his phone. "If I check your online reviews, you pro-"

"Ahhh-AH-AH… So, Zen, what brings you here?" the red-head yanked his arm before he could touch his screen and dragged him along sitting him behind the counter. "I thought you wouldn't come after all."

"Ah, that's right."

His words reminded him the true purpose of his visit. Sighing deeply, he started recounting everything that had happened that morning, Jaehee's thoughts on Jumin and even his views. Chun-Hei had joined them mid-way but he was too absorbed to his narration to even notice. Maybe the situation was troubling him even more than he though, something did not seem right. Seven, noticing his awkwardness when he realized that he was sharing everything in front of a stranger patted his shoulder in reassurance, edging him to continue and they both sipped the hot tea from their cups.

"So, what do you think?" he asked.

"Hmm… I'm not sure… It's not like Min-Seo to react like that. Usually she is more levelheaded."  
"Right? And how did she even end up in his place? It's not like they used to hang out together or something."  
"Does she really need a reason?" the girl interrupted. "It's her life you know, maybe she just felt like it."  
"Eh?" he looked at her shocked. "You can't just feel like it one day..."  
"Well, I do agree with her..." Saeyoung folded his hands looking troubled. "But with Jumin… You just can't feel like it, I think. The Ice Prince one the other hand, he does seem to be into her… Right?" he looked at Chun-Hei for confirmation.  
"Right!"  
'Riiiight?" the asked in unison turning to him.  
"Eh? You don't mean to say… Nooo..." Zen shook his head vigorously. "There is no way."  
"Why not?" the girl asked passionately and laced her hands together. "Maybe they found each other on that lonely night and realized that all they needed was one other and their hearts became one."  
"Ah, Min-Seo, you are the only one I need after all. My pet, my family, my work, not even the tons of money I have can fill this void in my heart, only you!" Saeyoung tried to imitate Jumin and placed his hands on Chun-Hei's shoulders.  
"Ah, Mister Han, I was waiting for you to say those words for so long..." her voice came out more high-pitched and she wiped an imaginary tear before they end up in an embrace.

"NO! No-no-no-no-NO!" he separated them furiously. "You don't even sound like them. This is so out of character! And you seriously have to work on your acting."  
"At least that's what happened on the New Year's Special "Melting his heart" last night!" she explained.

"Definitely based on him, they didn't even bother to change the family name again."  
"Riiiggght?" she could not hide her enthusiasm.  
"Riiiiight! I could not stop laughing."

Listening to their little exchange he furrowed his eyebrows. So that's what Seven meant when he said that he would spent his day with his employee. He had not mentioned her before. How long was she working there? The worst part was that he had managed to find someone as weird as him, he felt like that spending more time with them would put even more weird ideas in his head and they didn't even seem to take the situation seriously. Somehow, they did seem to be way too comfortable with each other, but he could not bring himself to ask anything more. Not only that, he was too preoccupied with Jumin's weird behavior to care for Seven's love life at that moment. It was supposed to be a peaceful day, Jaehee and their new start together should be the only thing he should care and think about, but his head was a mess. Visiting Seven worsen his tangled thoughts, it was not the right decision after all.

"Well, since you care so much about it, why don't you ask Jumin directly?" Seven asked.  
"Jumin?"  
"Not that he'd be happy to see you..." he added.

"It's not like I'd like to see his face either. I feel like it'll ruin my new year's luck."

"Oh, harsh," the girl commented.  
"It's a love-hate relationship," Seven explained.  
"Don't tell me," she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.  
"A new challenger appears to steal Mr. CEO's heart!"

"Oh, bite me! I'm out of here."

"Hey, hold on, where are you going?"

"Maybe I should go see that jerk after all," he stood up angrily

"And I thought we had something special here, you were so assertive just a few minutes ago," he hid his face in his hands.

"Cheer up, Seven, he is not worthy of you," she patted him on his back sympathetically.

"Do you enjoy acting like like asses first thing in the morning? I'm serious here!"  
"Hmmm..." they looked at each other. "Maybe," they said with smug expression.

"No wonder this place has no customers!"

"Now you are being mean!" she pouted.

"This has nothing to do with our customers, you know," he shrugged. "It's about you being nosy."

"Anyway..." he exhaled sharply. "I'll go find that jerk and ask him for an explanation. No point discussing it with you too," he picked up his things in a rush, the sooner he'd leave that place the better.

"Say Jaehee hello from me!" Seven called.

"Say hello from me too!"

"She doesn't even know you!" he barked. "Bye!"

He decided to do so in an impulse, but when he finally reached in front of the C&R's building he started to have second thoughts. It was the first time he visited alone and the building itself was intimidating. Plus, he was not sure how he should approach the situation. He was supposed to ask him upfront but he was certain that Jumin would avoid giving him any answers. In a strange spur of confidence he had given his name to the receptionist and was waiting for an answer, ignoring his initial hesitation. He should get over with it one and for all and avoid any misunderstandings.

"Yes, sir, I understand," the woman answered with a professional tone and turned to him with a rather cold smile. "Excuse me but Mr. Han is unable to see you right now due to his excessive workload. He asked me to tell you that you'll need to make an appointment. Since you are an RFA member… How does 20th of January sound?"

"What? And that's supposed to be a special treatment?" he exclaimed.  
"Mr. Han is a busy man, please show your under-"

"Ah… Nevermind. I'm sorry for raising my voice like that," he offered her his most charming smile.

He had to shallow his anger and think fast if he wanted to have a chance to confront that jerk. Who did he think he was, denying to meet him? Was he being stubborn? He may have appeared unannounced but answering like that was uncharacteristic of him, he'd usually spare a few minutes of his time even after his work hours to ask the reason of his visit and that made his behavior even more suspicious. If that's how he wanted to play the game, then he could be even more stubborn than him. His mind run through the possible courses he could take. Asking to meet him forcibly would probably bring the opposite result, with him being thrown out of the building by his security guards.

"So, how can I help you then?" the woman asked.  
"Ah… Oh!" she blinked. "You see… I have to leave some important RFA related documents, so since I can't meet Mr. Han, could I meet Mr. Doe at least?"  
"But you are not carrying any documents..." she gave him a suspicious look.  
"Yeah..." a nervous laugh escaped him. "It's in digital form, I carry the usb on me."  
"Then, couldn't you send them to Mr. Han through e-mail instead?"  
"Ah..." he supported himself on the counter trying to look as relaxed as he could. "You see, our IT guy said that these files are extremely confidential, so it's safer to pass them to Jumin like that. He was too busy to bring them himself, so he asked me to do him this favor. But I can not leave them to just anyone…"  
"I-I understand."  
"But I know Mr. Doe personally and he is Mr. Han's secretary so I can trust him. Why don't you ask him if he could meet me?" he encouraged her. "We've met before. His wife is a big fan of mine you know."

"Ok… Let me ask him if he can see you..." she said reluctantly.  
"Sure!"

Watching her every move as she was contacting Mr. Doe, he was wishing his words had convinced her. Mr. Doe was a capable yet a bit too carefree man compared too Jumin, so he was betting everything on that. They last time they had met, he was asking for an autograph for his wife and he had promised him he'd give him one the next time they'd meet, so maybe that could work like a lure too. The woman finally pressed on her hands-free looking defeated and turned to him.

"Mr. Doe will see you in thirty minutes during his break. Could you please wait for him at the cafeteria?"  
"Oh, I see. Thank you..."  
"Then..."  
"Sorry to ask you this, but could I use the bathroom in the meantime?"  
"Ah, yes of course. It's that way."

"Thanks for you time."

He left her with a smile and entered the restroom acting as natural as possible. He thought his idea had worked at first but he did not expect that Doe would ask to meet him at such a place. He was hoping it'd be his chance to enter the office without problem but in the end he had guessed wrong. At least he didn't have to leave the building. Lurking by the restroom's entrance, he waited until the receptionist's attention was away and headed for the elevator, barely managing to enter inside before the doors closed behind him.

Inside, numerous men and women dressed in suits and holding documents were looking at their clocks anxiously. Some of them were wiping their suits with the back of their hands tidying up their clothes, others were sighing deeply, laying on the elevators doors, appreciating the brief break they could take until they reach their floor. Observing them he realized that he could never do this kind of job, but scenes like that one were always useful as a reference. As people started getting off, he started to stand out more and more. Many of them were giving him weird looks; his face was definitely the main reason he had their attention but his clothes were surely the cause of the dubious looks he was getting.

Retaining his poker face, he wished the elevator would hurry up and reach the top floor. The moment he got off, he had already won. With a victorious smile on his lips, he marched directly to his fellow RFA member's office, passing by a bunch of secretaries who cried out the moment they noticed him entering without permission but did not manage to hold him back on time. Kicking the door open to make a dramatic entrance, he called Jumin's name out loud breathing heavily. His anger was growing by each moment.

Even the unflappable Jumin could not stay unfazed by such an entrance, he was just laying back on his chair, looking at something in his hand with an unusual, tender smile. His usual stolid expression looked startled for a moment and the item fell from his hand as he stood up in response. His fingers reached out to catch it, but inevitably, it fell on his desk. What was that? Zen's eyes widened at the sight, while Jumin awkwardly picked it up again and hid it in his pocket. He knew he could trust his eyes and what he had just seen was a keychain similar to the one Seven had received on their Christmas' present exchange. So Min-Seo did give him one after he had so shamelessly asked for it. The question was why the CEO was looking at it like a child who had just received the best present in the world. Especially a rich guy like him who could buy a key-chain factory or something similar with his pocket money.

"Don't tell me..." he mumbled.

His words were muffled by a bunch of employees who had entered inside behind him, anxiously and continuously apologizing for what had just happened. Seeing them, he realized that he had just become the source of a huge problem for many people, he should have thought through this better, but it was too late for regrets at that point. Jumin had regained his composure and was looking at them coldly. Getting between him and the employees was the least he could do, it was not their fault after all, it was because he stubbornly refused to meet him.

"It's not their fault. Why did you refuse to see me? Do you have a problem with me?"  
"Of course it's not their fault if you are dumb enough not to take no for an answer," he finally spoke.  
"Rude as always," he walked towards him.  
"Like you are one to talk. I told you I was busy."

"It didn't seem like that to me… Unless daydreaming over a keychain is considered a serious job," he continued in a lowered voice.

"...It's ok, leave us now."

His employees did as they were ordered, looking conflicted over the fact that he had not even reprimanded before asking them to excuse themselves. His expression could not hide his annoyance anymore, his fingers stiff run over the smooth surface of his desk as if to underline his mood. He turned his back to him for a moment and exhaled deeply before sitting on his chair again, trying to appear as calm as possible, yet his indifference about his presence there was evident.

"So, what was so important that you'd cause such a scene to meet me?" his tone bitter.  
"It's about Min-Seo..."  
"Did something happen to her?" his eyebrow raised, finally looking interested in what he had to say.  
"Dude..." his mouth agape. "Don't tell me Seven was right. You seriously like her?"

Honestly, he did not think twice before blurting out those words, but seeing him acting like that and considering everything that had lead to that point, he felt like he had connected the dots. The fact that he was so weird around her, the fact that he had followed after her when she went to bring wine creating an opportunity to be alone with her, him asking about her in the chatrooms. His mind were producing thousand scenarios and not all of them were PG-13. What had happened last night after all? Instead of denying his words, the CEO ossified on his chair, his eyes avoiding his, unable to respond like he was looking for the right words.

"Well, there is no denying that there is a certain level of fondness bet-"  
"What the hell, just say that you like her. Since when did you have the hots for her?"  
"What does that even mean?" he stood up, looking unsure if he should feel insulted by those words or not.  
"You fancy her, don't you?" he slapped his hands on the desk, like some underground detective cracking a case.  
"I don't think I fancy her," he answered calmly, putting the things that had shifted from their place from the impact back. "Why do you look so excited you? How old are you? Ten?"

"What's the point denying it now? And how can you register my reaction as excitement anyway? I'm freaking out here!" he snapped getting more and more frustrated. "I'm a man in love, you know, I know how it is, I can detect the signs!"

"Hm? So how can you tell you are in love then?"  
"Eh? You are asking me this..." taken aback by the question he rubbed the nape of his neck. "You know… Well... you want to be together with the person you like all the time, you can't stop thinking about them… You want to touch them and you want them to look only at you and have all these thoughts about them... And stuff like these… Don't make me say these kind of things, it's embarrassing."

"I see..." his eyes widened in surprise. "Not the most articulate answer but…" he cupped his chin looking troubled. "Then I guess I too am in love."

"Dude, no!" he cried out. "You just denied that you fancy her just a moment ago and now you're saying that you love her? There is an order to things!"  
"So, you are saying that I do not love her?"  
"That's not what I'm saying… Gosh! Why are you like this?" he threw his hands in the air rolling his eyes. "What I'm saying is… Argg… I don't even know what I am trying to say right now…" he ran his fingers through his hair trying to calm himself down.  
"Why are you reacting like that?"  
"Now you are asking why? Look… God, I came here to clear up things but what I am supposed to do with this information right now?" he wondered out loud.  
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?"  
"How can you change the subject like you just said the most normal thing in the world? And this is what I wanted to talk about, obviously… I still can't believe this. Hey, are you even serious about her? If you just want a flick you should look elsewhere… Why are you looking at me like you don't even know what I'm talking about?"  
"Because I'm not sure what you are implying."

Feeling exhausted by the conversation, he threw himself on the chair and tried to collect his thoughts. He regretted the moment he tried to confront him, but maybe, with the way that man was acting, it was safer now that he knew how he felt towards his friend. Not to doubt that Jumin was caring about them, just like Jaehee said, but the man seemed unable to recognize his feelings and follow the right procedure, so it could end up badly. It was not that unexpected, since that man grew up having everything, but that was also the most alarming part.

"Look, you've invited her to your house even though you haven't even asked her to go out on a date yet, am I right?"

He looked hesitant.

"I don't think it's the right time to ask her on a date right now. He has a lot of things on her mind."

_"What is he talking about?" _his eyebrows arched and he looked at him curiously but decided not to ask for details. "If she has a lot on her mind, maybe that's the best time to ask her out, it'll put her mind off things. It doesn't have to be anything romantic or sexual you know, just go out as two friends spending some quality together at first. You have to appeal to her somehow if you want her to like you back."

His eyes lighted up.

"So I have to appeal to her somehow."

"_Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"  
_

"But, what if she likes another person?" he flattered.  
"Well, if they are not dating, you still have a chance. Better than giving up without trying," he shrugged. "I know… Just send her a message right now. Ask her how she is and she'd like to meet one of these days, test the waters..."  
"She said she had an arrangement today, so I don't want to bother."

"Just ask her later," he sighed deeply. "Ask her how her arrangement went and all. Just don't blow this up, ok?" he stood up.

"Are you leaving?"  
"Yes, I have to go pick up Jaehee later too."

"Good."

"Good? What the hell? And here I was trying to help," he turned his back to him, striding to the door, his anger out of control. "Same old jerk."

"ZEN."  
"What is it now?"  
"Happy new year."  
"Eh..." his face muscles relaxed. "Happy new year to you too, I guess..." he stood awkwardly by the door. "Just do as I told you, ok?"  
"Maybe I should follow your advice for once."

"You better do!" he waved nonchalantly before leaving the room.

The moment the white haired man left, he sat back on his chair, feeling confused. His visit not only destroyed his moment of peace and his schedule but threw his thoughts and feelings in disarray too. Love? He was avoiding to put a label on his feeling for so long and that made it even more confusing. His hand reached into his pocket again and squeezed his newly-received present. He had promised himself that he would not hold back, maybe this visit was just the push he needed.

The buzz of the intercom snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Yes."  
"Mr. Han, the Director would like to see you over dinner tonight. He said that he'll be waiting for you at 19:00 at the usual place."

After their last encounter, that was a meeting he'd like to avoid.

"Mr. Han?" Mr. Doe's voice sounded concerned.  
"Please tell my father that I'm busy today, so we'll have to postpone our meeting for another day."  
"But, Mr. Han, the Director asked me if your schedule was open today before we arrange the dinner and I told him that you'll be free."  
"...Mr. Doe, please refrain from making decisions about my schedule before asking."  
"I… I'm sorry, sir. I assumed that there would not be a problem since it was an appointment with your father. It will not happen again."  
"I hope so."  
"I apologize, sir."  
"Anyway, tell him I will be there."  
"Yes, sir."

"At moments like this… I really miss assistant Kang..." he sighed. "It's going to be a long day. Maybe I should have brought Elizabeth with me today..."


End file.
